(BTW,
Lance Peterson is the Democrat running for Governor of Florida)
It's Tuesday, so, time for my Sunday Five! (Sorry, I spent most of Sunday drawing up an overappreciated map)
Santos Team: Serious on Debate Prep
Friday, September 17th, 2010
With the first debate between Walken and Santos less than a week away, the Santos campaign has already hit full debate prep mode. Sections of the day have been set aside by senior political advisor C.J. Cregg to help Santos brush up on debate preparation.
Says Cregg: "I think we have a real good chance of hitting Walken hard on the debate on Thursday. It won't be a 2002 but I guarantee you it won't be a 2006 either," referencing the 2006 tie between Vinick and Santos and the 2002 total win by Bartlet that many say was a factor for Bartlet's landslide victory a week later.
Both campaigns enter debate preparation on Monday evening, and continue until the debate on Thursday, which will be carried by all six broadcast networks (even ABC), most major news channels, the C-SPAN networks (C-SPAN 2 has side-by-side coverage), and several other cable networks, including MTV as part of their "Rock the Vote" coverage.
Stark Raving Mad
Saturday, September 18th, 2010
As Walken enters debate prep next week, many have questioned his campaign strategy after two weeks of blunders and the only help coming from the UN Secretary-General's bigger blunders. Campaign Director Anne Stark isn't at fault, of course, having taken the time off to care for her ailing father. But many see her decision to hire Viggo Monticelli with RNC funds within the tens of thousands as a major factor to Walken's campaign image concerns (odd as it was supposed to help them).
Stark, of course, should stay with the campaign. But top Republican leaders Jim Arkin and Robert Royce met with Walken last week to discuss his campaign issues. We have no idea what was discussed, and the campaign team has not made any sweeping changes, perhaps to save face in front of the debate on Thursday. But in case change is afoot, we at politico have made a top five list of Senior Republican officials to take over as campaign director for Glen Allen Walken's campaign.
5. Jane Braun
Walken's current political director, she took over as campaign director on the Vinick campaign in 2006 when he suffered similar issues. The campaign hasn't had any *political* issues, and she has done a great job scheduling a series of town halls to negate the Monticelli situation thus far. Only the liberal news sources seem to be pushing that anymore.
Pros: She's experienced at handling the job, and has worked in senior positions in the last 4 Republican Presidential campaigns (Eisenhower, Ritchie, Vinick, Walken).
Cons: She didn't exactly do the job in 2006 (although they won the popular vote). She has also spent alot of time in the New York campaign office, ostensibly helping out her husband, Jay Cruger, and his Senate campaign.
4. Sheila Brooks
Brooks is not actually on the Walken campaign, but is Chief of Staff to Robert Royce and is ostensibly helping his campaign (especially since he has to fight for re-election this year). She was the long-term Chief of Staff to Arnie Vinick and served as his campaign director throughout most of the 2006 election, helping to an astonishing sweep through the primaries past Reverend Don Butler and, yes, Glen Walken. She worked for the Skinner, Fuller, and Blakemore campaigns last year, but all failed to reach past the pre-primary season.
Pros: Probably the most experienced outsider to the Walken campaign. The Vinick campaign didn't fail until after she was demoted from Campaign Director. Royce, the most senior Republican in the country today, respects her, and that's saying alot.
Cons: If you're looking for someone to replace Anne Stark and her image-blunder problems, you may want to look at someone other than Brooks, who handled the San Andreo situation disastrously.
3. Ron McClinton
While never directing a campaign himself, McClinton is *the* guy to go to to consult and manage some of the little details. He is an international expert, zipping from Great Britain to Canada to American Samoa (not sure what he was doing there). He was an Undersecretary back in '99 under President Bartlet, and had some ties to the 2006 Hoynes campaign, but other than that is a very loyal Republican official.
Pros: Expertise. The others may be more experienced in America, but McClinton single-handedly brought conservatism back to the United Kingdom after almost 10 years of Labour-ruled government. Many people didn't think it was possible, but Conservative Leader Maureen Graty hired the American McClinton, and next thing you know, Conservative (albeit minority) British Government. The rise of Conservative Politics today could be attributed solely to McClinton, if you're being generous.
Cons: If Braun gets it, McClinton's out. If McClinton gets it, Braun is out. Both of these figures are necessary for a Walken win, but they hate and despise one another so much that it has been one of the contributing issues to Walken's electoral worries. Expect neither to get the top nod if they want both.
2. Steve Atwood
The current Chief of Staff and former chief strategist to President Walken, Atwood is a long-time associate in the sane vein as Brooks to Vinick. Atwood has been with Walken's congressional staff since the early '90s and knows every quirk and tic that makes Glen Allen Walken work.
Pros: Atwood is a diligent Walkenite with a love for his job and more knowledge than you can throw a stick at. Walken may want a best friend by his side and you can bet Steve Atwood would fill that role.
Cons: Atwood received a lot of heat a few months ago for "confirming" that General Alexander was considered for VP. It cost the Walken campaign alot of work to shake that off, and one could only hope Atwood wouldn't be "confirming" other unwanted details.
1. Bess
Of course, if Walken wants a best friend for the job, he could do no better than his
other long-term companion, Bess. Named for former First Lady Bess Truman, Bess is ten-years-old but still acts like a puppy, with a tendency towards staining the floor of the press section on the Walken campaign bus.
Pros: A cute, adorable dog. What better for image issues?
Cons: Very little campaign management skills. No college education.
Third-Party Debate Scheduled for Night After "Regular" Debate
Sunday, September 19th, 2010
C-SPAN and PBS have formally agreed to a third-party debate to be held between three opposing candidates on Friday, September 25th, 2010. Recently crowned Libertarian candidate Peter Cooke of California formed the debate idea last month and will be up against American Communist candidate Izzy Perez and Constitution Party candidate E.L. Keebler.
The three form vast differences in political opinion, and will devote some of their questions to repeats of what Santos and Walken answered the night before. Cooke had tried to persuade former Green Party candidate Jim Buckner and Progressive Alliance candidate Tim Hall, both of whom are on some states' ballots, to participate, but both declined, citing their withdrawal from the Presidential race.
Lassiter Releases Negative Ads
Monday, September 20th, 2010
Perhaps as a response to recent DNC attack ads against Walken, depicting Walken with former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Owen Lassiter, Richard Lassiter has released a series of "attack ads," mostly viewable on his website (RichardLassiter.com) that show pictures of Seaborn alongside Presidents Bartlet and Santos, as well as French President D'Astier, Kazakhstan President Tarimov, and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Bitar (all taken from public records). He also released a statement that said "I dare you to release images of me and my father."
He views the ads as jokes and says the rhetoric should move past referencing politicians being seen with "swarthy figures." Says Lassiter: "The ads are jokes but the message is clear. If you enter politics, expect to be working with some unseemly characters. That's what we have in Congress today, and I hope to be one of those upstanding figures who change that. Just like my father was."
Prime Minister Admits that UFOs Exist
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
The Prime Minister, speaking to a group of Quebec citizens in his native French, stated yesterday, "UFOs do exist. There's too much evidence for them not to." The remarks were laughed off by Conservative Leader Tim Gardner. "A month away from the elections, and he shoots himself in the foot. We couldn't wish for a better Prime Minister to be up against!"
Le Premier Ministre, parlant à un groupe de citoyens de Québec dans son français natal, déclaré hier, «*OBNI existent. Il y a trop de preuve pour eux pas à*». Les remarques ont été loin ri par Dirigeant Tim Gardner Conservateur. «*Un mois loin des élections, et il se tire dans le pied. Nous ne pourrions pas souhaiter pour un meilleur Premier Ministre pour être contre*»*!