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The Stench

Find out how Ken Cuccinelli's not just a tinfoil-hat, John Birch Society-style, extremist wackjob, he's also corrupt, in the The Continuing Chronicle of Ken Cuccinelli's Corruption. It really stinks!

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Black Helicopter Wing on the Rise

by: Dan Sullivan

Wed Nov 28, 2012 at 19:47:43 PM EST

Rejoice among Democrats that Kenny C will be the Republican nominee is premature. So, no such right wingnut could become Governor of our Commonwealth? This would be the same reactionary who won the statewide contest for Attorney General in 2009. And this would be the same DPVA that was swept.

There is nothing substantive the DPVA can show as a response to the 2009 debacle. Republicans have a completely new wardrobe on order for 2013. OFA blew in, blew up, and blew out. Republicans still hold everything but the teetering state Senate (one special election away) and have an amazingly slick snake oil salesman in the Governor.

Note to all Democratic hopefuls: the OFA field organizers did nothing without guidance and were held on a short leash. Not a one was required or allowed to demonstrate initiative or individual competence. They followed a well designed call-center playbook; they might as well have been selling time shares. Political acumen was not in their terms of reference. They consistently alienated their local Democratic contacts. Check beyond their references before bringing them on.

Meanwhile, the Republicans are reining in the vitriolic. It will fade as we proceed through the 2013 General Assembly session. Delegate Rob Bell (R-58th), candidate for Attorney General, is already stepping up as a defender of the elderly. This despite his party's burial of a bill last session he now claims to champion. Republicans are moving back toward dog whistle politics. Remember, crazy is not an impediment to political success (See Hitler, Adolph). You just need someone to blame.

Assessing the gains from the OFA effort locally is difficult. At least in my locality, we know who volunteered. But the OFA walk list has not been fully harvested. The use of social media is not a DPVA strong suit despite Frank Leone's (who is now more focused on hockey than Virginia politics) promises, but OFA has been redirected to use that medium to sell policy rather than promote candidates and that may mitigate effectiveness of any DPVA mimic. Mimicry is not what we need. We really need professionals to determine the way ahead. Unfortunately, those professionals are persona non grata at DPVA.

Dan Sullivan :: Black Helicopter Wing on the Rise

Tags: Ken Cuccinelli, Bill Bolling, Bob McDonnell, Rob Bell, Republican, Democrat, OFA, DPVA, Virginia Politics, (All Tags)

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Black Helicopter Wing on the Rise | 9 comments

OFA (0.00 / 0)

OFA had a specific plan to win statewide. They did not waste resources on areas where they would not get needed votes to win the election (6th and 9th congressional districts). Their goal was NOT to build local Democratic committees or to create ties to those local committees. I wish their expertise had been directed to that end, but that wasn't their ultimate goal. Winning the state was. The dysfunction of the DPVA will never be solved by some national campaign. It remains our job on the local level, and the congressional district level. Progressives have to get on those committees and, thus, on the state central committee.

In Roanoke, by the way, the OFA field organizers had fine political acumen. They focused on getting out the vote in a Democratic stronghold. They had excellent ties to local Democratic contacts. Same for Radford, Danville, etc. But...they didn't waste effort where the votes weren't, like my locality, Botetourt County.

by: Elaine in Roanoke @ Thu Nov 29, 2012 at 01:12:12 AM UTC

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Agreed, it was NOT - repeat NOT! - the job of OFA (0.00 / 0)

to do anything but win the election for Barack Obama. Period, end of story. If they had done otherwise, it would have constituted political malpractice of the highest order. Also, as you correctly note, "The dysfunction of the DPVA will never be solved by some national campaign. It remains our job on the local level, and the congressional district level." It's certainly not the job of a presidential campaign with a lot more important things, frankly, on its mind.

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by: lowkell @ Thu Nov 29, 2012 at 01:45:16 AM UTC

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OFA Did What They Were Paid To Do...No More (0.00 / 0)

And that will not translate to success at the state level. That's been proven. But at the recent 6th District meeting, local committee representatives swooned as though OFA was the end all. Of course, when you can't muster a fire team on your own, OFA looks phenominal. OFA is as irrelevant to 2013 as it was to 2009. But I heard packs dropping once again, as though Obama's success meant something for our future. Fact is, DPVA was not the engine for carrying Virginia and is not positioned to succeed until the demographic shift. Though it is happy to claim credit.

by: Dan Sullivan @ Thu Nov 29, 2012 at 01:46:37 AM UTC

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Yeah, gotta love how Brian Moran has relentlessly claimed credit (0.00 / 0)

for the victories of Barack Obama and Tim Kaine, which he had - let me emphasize this as strongly as I can - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH!

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by: lowkell @ Thu Nov 29, 2012 at 01:52:50 AM UTC

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Success in off-season elections (0.00 / 0)

We have to analyze voting turnout for non-presidential elections and find a way to increase the turnout of our voters. In other words, we need to become the OFA for other elections. This is tough, bur necessary. The GOP evidently can turn out their voters every year. That is what we need to learn.

by: Elaine in Roanoke @ Thu Nov 29, 2012 at 02:29:36 AM UTC

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Our Voters? (0.00 / 0)

DPVA has never demonstrated it has voters to turn out. National politics turns out Virginia voters. Disgust with George Bush and regard for President Obama have motivated "our" voters. The grassroots has been ignored, though it has delivered. When Virginia Democrats ran away from Obama in 2009, they found out how many voters DPVA has.

Really, DPVA should declare bankruptcy and request reorganization at the meeting next week.

by: Dan Sullivan @ Thu Nov 29, 2012 at 02:37:17 AM UTC

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I Should Add, OFA Left Unpaid Obligations (0.00 / 0)

In a very odd sequence of contractual agreements demanded by OFA, OFA established obligations that remain unpaid. I am not surprised because I was lied to about almost every detail of the local GOTV support.

The business end of OFA was a farce.

by: Dan Sullivan @ Thu Nov 29, 2012 at 02:21:59 AM UTC

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Least you forget...at least in nova (0.00 / 0)

When ofa started organizing in march. Who do you think were the team leaders, the voter registration leads, the hub affiliates????? They were the dem party members and volunteers. Yes obsoletely OFA ran the strategy, but many of us executed it.

In 2009 Cooch had mcdonnells coat tails plain and simple and did not have a statewide and national reputation, like now. Also let's not forget he barely retained his house seat against Janet Oleszek in the race in 2007 by leases than 300 votes (I think).

Cooch is beatable, but as we saw in 2009 you have to have a candidate that will engage with the presidential voters. This my friend is not 2009!

by: totallynext @ Thu Nov 29, 2012 at 11:47:31 AM UTC

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NOVA Is A Different Animal (0.00 / 0)

Tom previously commented that his committee wrestled OFA into conformity (my paraphrase). But the NOVA lens does not provide clear focus on the remainder of underorganized Virginia.

It may not be 2009 yet, but DPVA is looking for the time machine.

by: Dan Sullivan @ Thu Nov 29, 2012 at 11:54:06 AM UTC

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Black Helicopter Wing on the Rise | 9 comments

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