Posted on 03/27/2009 4:59:00 PM PDT by neverdem
Is the special election in New York's 20th district a referendum on the national political environment - on President Barack Obama, Washington, D.C.'s handling of the American International Group bonus scandal, the economic stimulus package and the national reputations of the two parties? Or, rather, is it about the skills and appeal of the two candidates?
It's about both.
Republican Jim Tedisco initially appeared to possess the most important qualities for the brief campaign. A veteran of the New York state Legislature, he is known as "Mr. Schenectady" and has deep roots in the area. He also appeared to benefit from the district's GOP leanings and a 70,000-voter registration advantage.
But even some Republicans acknowledge that Tedisco, the State Assembly Minority Leader, is, as one put it, like "the old dog that can't learn new tricks." Democrats have used his lengthy record against him, portraying him as an insider and part of the problem.
One Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee-funded TV ad, for example, asserted that "politician Jim Tedisco" is "just another Albany politician," while a different spot attacked the Republican for collecting per diem allowances from the state even though he lives 17 miles from Albany.
Democrat Scott Murphy, 39, has never run for office before and claims to have created jobs as a businessman. He worked for two Democratic governors in Missouri, but...
--snip--
The big questions in this race, however, involve AIG, the insurance giant-turned-financial services company. Is Tedisco benefitting enough from the issue to help him win?
The Republican continues to attack Murphy on that front, noting in a radio spot that began airing Tuesday that the Democrat "backs the law allowing AIG millionaires to collect outrageous bonuses" and that that's not surprising because Murphy has "approved bonuses for failing executives before in another company taxpayers helped."
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
Funny, when its a rat that has been in government for so long, then the experience trumps all. With a novice, its how fresh he/she is. Exhibit A: 0bama. How is that turning out?
Tedisco must continue to hammer, he needs to get the ground game going big time, and he needs good people at every polling station to ensure a clean election.
The race is just about the locality but a sign of GOP life would be nice.
"Negative" only ever applies to republicans telling the truth about their opponent, whereas the DNCC has been running really nasty adds and they get a pass.
This race is very important. Tedisco needs to win. I donated the other day.
Tedesco needs to call the press out on this tactic. This is how the media has re-elected the crooks that are stealing our government, by changing the subject. They no longer focus on the substance of the campaign, just the tenor.
And that is only made the focus of the election if there is a Democrat who has no other defense for his actions or crimes, whichever the case may be.
Sounds like the talk show host(s) favor Murphy, not to mention MURPHY’s negative campaigns.
The Murphy campaign is complaining about the audacity of Tedisco criticizing Murphy’s business practices and liberal positions.
ALL I have heard on talk radio today is how negative Tedesco’s campaign is. “
Huh? The other side puts out a flyer with Rush Limbaugh (who is not even an elected official anywhere) and these dolts havethe gall to call Tedesco negative? That’s utter hypocrisy.
Both Tedisco and Murphy helped create jobs, but many of Murphy’s jobs (Murphy admitted it on his ads) were in India.
The Messiah’s campaign was one long negative ad. He constantly bashed Bush.
The NY-20 is the kind of district the GOP needs to win in order to stage a comeback. A win victory would serve as a morale booster. A loss will make the GOP even more craven than it is. The media will tell the GOP to trash Rush and listen to Megan McCain and David Frum.
For me, money is tight. But I will donate $100 for Tedisco’s final push. It all boils down to turnout.
True.
“It all boils down to turnout.”
Bingo! Make sure all your conservative friends VOTE!
These lefties with the media help, are just inventing it as they go along, and not a word of what they say is true.
They take “can't say anything negative about the left, to new heights.
I even have a brother in law who bought into it. Said he didn't want another angry Republican to be elected. He had had it with angry white guys. I was stunned!! Same ole dem tactics, and too many buying into it. Tedesco should come right out and say “If my ads are negative, it is only because the truth about my candidate is, and the voters have every right to know about it, just as I have a duty to see that they do”
If McCain had had the guts to say that about Zero, it would have been a different outcome.
No no, Sun, it was the stations campaign ads, not the talk show hosts.
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