Thursday, August 2nd, 2007...9:14 am
Well, It Is the Size of Pennsylvania
This blogging gig can be a weird vocation. People who, at least in politics, would never give me the time of day drop me hints and tips. I know that in some cases, I am being used, and in other cases (most of them) the information isn’t all that interesting or is something I already wrote about.
Take this one guy, we’ll call him Wilbur. Wil writes me often, and we have a mutual agreement: I’d rather not admit that he’s giving me information, and he’d rather not admit that he is talking to lefty scum like me. Wil is a major shaker among the Republicans in our state.
Wilbur had a different take on the CD 1 race than I did. His thought was that Ken Bennett is damaged goods because of the incident his son was involved in last year. His thinking is that despite the convetional wisdom, Bennett won’t run after all and the candidate will be Bill Konopnicki instead. His feeling is that geography helps Konopnicki, since he is from the southern part of the district. Also he is a LDS Stakeleader (he’s a convert), which gives him entre into the Mormon community (which includes many Democrats) in Apache, Navajo, Graham and Greenlee counties.
One thing looming over the prospective field, and a big reason why folks are talking about this so early already, is that there is still the possibility that Rick Renzi may resign before his term is up. This would give any candidate 90 days to raise the money, build name ID and put together a grassroots organization to cover a district the size of…you know. This is a big part of the reason why Ann Kirkpatrick resigned her seat to start raising money and build a profile. Talk that Konopnicki is willing to put up between $300,000 and $400,000 of his own money is something that would give him a leg up in this situation as well.
(The later that Renzi resigns, the greater chance that we end up with our own Shelley Sekula-Gibbs.)
Which of the other candidates is ready to run such a truncated campaign? On the Democratic side, Mary Kim Titla already has some name ID, but I don’t know what sort of ground work she is laying right now.
13 Comments
August 2nd, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Free advice to the Kirkpatrick campaign:
Get. A. New. Picture.
That blue suit is AWFUL. Simply atrocious.
August 2nd, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Interesting read, Ted.
Just make sure you get Bill’s name spelled right next time: Konopnicki not Kopinicki.
August 2nd, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Sometimes he can’t spell “Prezelski” either.
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:09 pm
It’s fixed. I always have trouble with those Polish names.
August 2nd, 2007 at 4:03 pm
I totally agree that Ann Kirkpatrick’s blue suit is “AWFUL.” In addition, I would suggest a change of hairstyle. Ann is a little old for long hair and that early 90’s Julia Robert’s mega perm is very dated. I would suggest a chin length bob, lots of blonde highlights, and replace that cobalt blue jacket with a pastel color.
August 2nd, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Oh, well THAT’S important. Do we judge male candidates on such superficial criteria?
August 2nd, 2007 at 5:09 pm
No Tom, and that is damn annoying of Ms. Liza.
In fact John Edwards was mocked for paying attention to his looks.
August 2nd, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Appleblossom and Tom,
Maybe we should just take it to the other extreme. Let’s just start promoting and electing candidates who look like they’ve been sleeping under a bridge for the last month or so. Why not? It would show how truly progressive and democratic we are.
August 2nd, 2007 at 9:05 pm
More like how about we not discuss anyone’s clothing and just discuss what their primary stances on issues are or their voting records as indicative of their future voting or leadership?
August 3rd, 2007 at 7:41 am
We may as well be discussing their clothing, Appleblossom. At least two thirds of the people in
Congress aren’t qualified to be dog catchers.
Enough said.
August 3rd, 2007 at 7:47 am
Go ahead and keep your heads in the sand. I always thought Jim Traficant should have gotten a new toupe. It’s the same for men and women.
I just think some people cannot be so clueless and be a supposedly “worldly” and educated congressperson.
I get embarrassed for her every time I see that blue suit and hair. Sorry.
August 3rd, 2007 at 8:44 am
Do we judge male candidates on such superficial criteria?
Yes. Don’t get me started on that Polish legislator from Tucson….
Seriously, though. Whether or not it’s really important, the fact is that people make snap judgments about everyone based on what they wear and how they style their hair etc.
And that’s true no matter what business they’re in. Haven’t you seen the legions of books, articles, etc. on how to dress for a job interview? Well, a campaign is a job interview.
And they are campaigning all the time.
August 5th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
I don’t know why everyone uses the blue suit picture. If you go to her campaign website you will see what she looks like now. I also just saw her at an event a week or two ago and she looks nothing like the blue suit pic. She has short hair and its brown. So Ted, maybe use her updated pic from here on out? Don’t believe me? Here it is: http://www.kirkpatrickforarizona.com