Posted on 10/30/2004 9:13:32 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Barring a last-minute change of strategy and fundraising fortunes, Republican Bill Jones could become the first major candidate in more than four decades to wage a U.S. Senate campaign in California without airing a single television ad — the equivalent of jumping into a gun battle without bullets.
Jones' lack of ads also could make history nationally. Political historians could recall no other senate or gubernatorial race nationwide in which one of the major party candidates did not turn to the politician's favorite weapon, the 30-second spot, since television ads began dominating campaigns in the early 1960s.
"It sounds like it's unique," said Lewis Mazanti, curator of the Julian P. Kanter Political Commercial Archive at the University of Oklahoma, which holds 70,000 television and radio campaign ads.
The political oddity of Jones' ad-free campaign against Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer underscores not only his straits but also the continued weakness of the California Republican Party despite last year's election of Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor.
This is the first statewide race since then, and Jones' failure to generate any heat — even among the faithful — suggests the recall of Gov. Gray Davis had more to do with personality and circumstance than a resurrection of a state party that sent Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan to the White House, and George Deukmejian and Pete Wilson to the governor's office.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Thanks to Parsky, Firestone, aRnoe, the "New Majority, etc,,, and quite a few FR posters as well, imo.
I'll be voting for him. But I have never seen a photo of him, never seen him on TV ... never gotten any advertising from him. I contribute regularly to the GOP so they know where I am.
Yes. I believe we can blame Free Republic for the failures of the Republican Party of California. We are, after all, all powerful.
lol... Bill will get mine as well, altho Kaloogian would probably get more write-ins than Bill if he said it was OK.
Ditto to everything you shared, BunnySlippers. We haven't rec'd one piece of literature, seen an ad, or rec'd a call from his campaign headquarters. A campaign can not be run by osmosis! No wonder Boxer is ahead by 19 points. sigh.
It's a bit late for that now, Bill. Now keep your money and never show your face in California again.
I haven't seen any ads for Boxer either.
Perhaps she is concentrating on her large constituency which seems a waste of money....
I didn't even know she was oppposed until this morning and the paper said Bill Jones was signed on.
God I'd love to see her and Feinstein gone gone gone...
Sounds like he's never shown it before, so you don't have to worry. Are we even sure the guy exists? I've heard of phantom voters, but phantom Senate candidates?
I am calling out the moderate element at FR, btw, not FR.
When Q factor is the main reason to run and support a candidate, then you have to admit politics is nothing more than a beauty contest for many, sad to say.
Look to Pennsylvania and Specter and ask yourself why is it OK to support "R"s that are not on the same page of music.
I am not a Californian, but have followed these threads because I have been intrigued by the problem of the Pubbies in CA. IMHO much if it stems from their perception of a despoiled state-one substantially "deteriorated" from their youthful remninces-and hence a conservatism harkening for "the good old days". Hence also,BTW an Ahnold win. For the CA Pubbies to prevail they need to formulate cogent, optimistic plans couched in the broad human ideals common to all.
I had occasion to write to his office when the original Indian Tribal compacts were being created for gaming casinos....
His office answered me within two weeks with a detailed outline of the compacts and what the state was requiring of the organizers for the tribes.
Perhaps efficiency doesn't create a lot of press?
I saw enough of Grey Davis to gag me. Every little sound bit he could fit in.... when he looked like he needed mouth to mouth....
Heck, he's pulled out money from his campaign funds he had put in earlier.
Now that should make one wonder if he was hoping to get elected on cattails alone.. or was he just running to help the status quo be maintained.
I had occasion to write to his office when the original Indian Tribal compacts were being created for gaming casinos....
His office answered me within two weeks with a detailed outline of the compacts and what the state was requiring of the organizers for the tribes.
Perhaps efficiency doesn't create a lot of press?
I saw enough of Grey Davis to gag me. Every little sound bit he could fit in.... when he looked like he needed mouth to mouth....
OH, you're already there. :-o
lol .. practicality ain;t doing much for California so far since the recall..
Largest state budget ever, minimal cuts anywhere,, wants to kindle california biotech by pumping stem cell research on taxpayers dimes.. Admittedly cares more about what dems think ...
Keep it coming.. Thanks!
Stuff this in your soup can too..
Even Mel Gibson is catching flack and after listening to aRnie on hannity and Dennis Miller last night, aRnie has proven it is all about aRnie even as he plays the masses like a fiddle. A fiddle full of debt... and No end in sight.
In introducing Bush, the governor takes a back seat with an address that avoids attacks
He even withholds applause on some social issues
Peter Nicholas / Los Angeles Times
In contrast to Bush, he avoided attacks on Democratic Sen. John F. Kerry. No mention of flip-flopping. No accusations that Kerry would prove a weak commander in chief. After he was done and the president rose to speak, Schwarzenegger sat beside First Lady Laura Bush, folded his hands on his lap and sat unsmiling through much of the speech, squinting into the spotlights. Schwarzenegger conspicuously did not clap at some of Bush's biggest applause lines.
Schwarzenegger stumps for Bush in crucial Ohio
Dion Nissenbaum / San Jose Mercury News
Sitting next to first lady Barbara Bush, Schwarzenegger was stoic as Bush delivered some of his most rousing lines mocking Kerry, attacking abortion rights and castigating gay marriage. While the crowd went wild, Schwarzenegger held his applause.
Zachary Coile / San Francisco Chronicle
Schwarzenegger, who sat behind Bush during the president's speech, was careful not to applaud at certain moments of the speech.
President Bush may make it close in California,, But it won't be because of aRnold, imo.
"No wonder Boxer is ahead by 19 points. sigh."
Well I can't imagine what's wrong with this man. A lot of folks who are going to vote for him have never even seen him? Have never been asked to give money to him? And Boxer is only ahead by 19 points?
Sounds like with just a little bit of effort he could be doing quite well. California is too large to try and do the whole thing door-to-door.
The real problem is that the socialist legislators have driven ten of thousands of Republicans out of the state, they're now voting in Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, etc.etc., well, you get the point.
In the 2000 census CA LOST population for the first time in our history. That loss came as a result of taxpayers running for cover anywhere but here, not from a slowdown in illegal immigration, we have more than fulfilled our share of that population. We are headed for a third world society out here.
Arnold is trying to fix some of the problems but it's not going to be that easy, he's even endorsed a proposition to give the biotech industry $3 billion($6 billion with interest) for embrionic stem cell research, like they really know what's going to come of it. Just more money down a rathole. CA is in a series mess period.
From: a born and raised native Californian who's disgusted with what I see.
You know, honestly I think he was expecting Arnold to do the heavy lifting for him, particularly because Arnold endorsed him (mostly as payback for Jones endorsing Arnold). I do fault Arnold for completely avoiding federal politics in the state. He did great for Bush in Ohio, but hasn't made a peep for Bush or Jones in the state. Meanwhile he's pushing local politicians all over the place for state assembly races. I do understand why, though. He's here for the state of California and works only on California state issues and campaigns, and he wants to avoid the more poisonous arena of national politics in the state.
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