Friday, September 7th, 2007...7:02 am
Explorers’ Websites
Someone sent me this tidbit yesterday. Blog for Arizona has already tackled it, but why use that as a reason to deny it from you, my reading public?
Both Tim Bee and Russell Pearce have websites up. As we all know, both are “exploring” their candidacies. I have always equated “exploratory candidacies” with “experimenting with drugs.” It is a euphamism that has to be used for legal reasons, but lets face it, they are still toking up.
Pearce’s site, as pointed out by Blog for Arizona, is fairly detailed. It looks as much like someone running for congress as it can without the “vote for me” message that would violate his status as “explorer.” Bee’s site, on the other hand, is, well…
Imagine a summary of substantial accomplishments by Paris Hilton, or a list of World Series victories of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Each of these would have more information than what is available on Bee’s site. Near as I can tell, Bee is under the same FEC laws as Pearce is, is covered by the same “Resign to Run Law” and has been an “exploratory candidate” in both name and deed longer than Pearce. So, why the all but blank page?
Are Bee’s people still putting together a message? I mean, Bee has essentially been running for this office since moments before the ink on the ballots dried in the last election, you’d think he’d have something to put up on the site, even if it is just a biography. Maybe I’m being unfair; Bee may not know why he is running yet.
14 Comments
September 7th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Gee, and the complaint that people have with Gabby is that she is too evasive.
September 7th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Tim Bee may not know why he is running yet? Gee, wouldn’t that make him a Democrat? As far as I can tell, its the Democratic Party that is confused about what and who it represents.
September 7th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Not much you can say in an exploratory stage due to the AZ laws that Gabby Giffords thinks our founding fathers & mothers wrote in the AZ consitution in 1980.
Tim Bee’s site is obviously in production
September 7th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Tedski,
Not the expert, I venture a guess. I think the Bee campaign is going to be very “under the radar” for awhile and intentionally so. Everyone knows he’s running. I believe he can collect money and has started, but I do not know if he is capped at some level. I cannot understand the law’s language at all.
1. Bee will obey the law.
2. Bee and his supporters will do what they can within the law.
3. They will toot the horn when and only when their plan says to.
No doubt attorneys have beaten the “Resign to Run” language to smithereens backwards, forwards, and sideways.
Giffords can complain and toss a couple darts, but if she’s smart, she’ll exercise considerable restraint and the darts need to be sharp, short, and accurate. If she starts howling, “No fair!!” she looks immature.
My question: What does he really get away with (in CD 8 campaign context) by staying in office? That huge paycheck he gets as a senator?
September 7th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
The amazing part is that Pearce, from the supposed moron wind of the party, has the Contribute page up and running. Bee, a member of the enlightened wing of the GOP, does not have the DONATE button working. Hmmm?
September 7th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Bee’s donate button is Jim Click and the crew. They probably already have him raising dough as he slyly skirts the “resign to run” law. Again, so much for the “rule of law” that Republicans tout so often. That crap only flies so long as their attorneys cut, pound, and mold it into something the benefits them.
I agree that Giffords shouldn’t whine about it so much, but doesn’t mean we can’t whine (grin).
September 7th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
BTW I love that “Not Russell Pearce” photo. Well done.
September 7th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
It still blows my mind away that Russell Pearce would challenge Jeff Flake…and in the way that he is. I have been arguing that the party is splitting itself beyond recognition and this is this icing on the cake to prove it. Jeff Flake is no liberal, he is a about as mainstream Republican as you could find, he is the type of guy that the Chamber types love to death…and will give money to.
Russell Pearce, and the like, are driving a wedge in the biggest way between longtime constituencies of the GOP. While the district is solidly Republican, he is forcing the GOP to spend money in a place in this state where it shouldn’t, the business types will be forced to try to help Flake and get behind someone in CD1 open race …and get back Mitchell’s seat and that of Giffords. There isn’t that much GOP money to go around and that is a lot of turf to defend folks.
I think Pearce’s challenge is going to effect other races around the state. It is the kind of thing that folks like Bee need to think about. Not only is this likely to be a bad year for the GOP, fundraising is also down, the party is split bigtime, and he is going to have to compete for funds when they are going to be at a premium…in CD1, Mitchell’s seat, and now possibly Flake’s.
Russell Pearce is the best thing that ever happened to the Democratic Party in Arizona. He makes a minority party look oh so reasonable.
September 7th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
By the way, is there a declared or any serious candidates thinking about running for this seat on the Democrat side?
I know it is a Republican district, but Mr. Pearce is likely to wound Flake in the primary…and if he happens to win…well…everyone remember the Al Melvin race down here? While only a state legislative race, the theory is the same and the money for the GOP to spend is gonna just plain run out.
September 8th, 2007 at 9:41 am
Pierce will not wound Flake in 2008.
2004 or 2006, maybe.
Not 2008.
Pierce is a moron.
September 8th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Being a moron seems to be an advantage when one is trying to get elected to a political office. You have to be a well connected moron, however.
September 8th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Was anyone else dissapointed that the “Bee Buzz” button wasn’t working yet?
September 8th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Thank god you brought that up Pat, I thought I was the only one!
September 9th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I spelled disappointed wrong, geez.