It’s Nothing Personal, It’s Just Politics
This final Sunday before the election I figured would be the perfect time express a thought or two about the Presidential and gubernatorial races.
I’ve been accused of being a shill for the Barack Obama people, although no one can point to an example of where I’ve written for Obama anywhere. And I got a note the other day telling me I was treating the Jill Long Thompson campaign unfairly.
I will honestly admit a certain fascination for both Obama and Republican Governor Mitch Daniels. Not for the reason you might think, but more for the reason that they get it!
I have been involved in politics in one capacity or another since the early 1990s, either as a graduate student working on his Master’s Degree, a reporter covering candidates, or as someone working on a campaign or giving friendly advice to someone running.
One thing I learned in all that time is at the end of the day, campaigns are fundamentally lost on the campaigns.
It’s part money, message and organization. And when you screw up these three, you’re going to be left behind real quick.
Both Obama and Daniels secured their money, message and organizations a long time ago. I still don’t know what JLT stands for except she’s not Mitch Daniels and wants a referendum on DST.
John McCain sowed up the Republican nomination in March. Between that time and June when then Democrats picked their nominee he could been crafting and delivering a very simple message “cut taxes, cut spending and the crap in Washington.”
Both McCain and JLT squandered opportunities by having no clear message, bad organizations and money issues. Now that doesn’t mean they still can’t win on Tuesday. Everyone points to Greg Ballard, but even the Mayor’s win was about being organized and having a message, even though he didn’t have a lot of money.
So when I say John McCain and JLT have run bad campaigns, I mean it, but I’m not being mean.
