Oct. 18, 2010
"Act from Fear." Politico Says Manchin Appears Desperate
Campaign 2010: The Raese/Manchin U.S. Senate Race
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
According to Politico, the online national political magazine, Governor
Joe Manchin is striking a note of desperation. As the Democratic candidate
for U.S. Senate, Manchin pleaded for help with Democratic activists in
the Northern Panhandle this past Saturday night at a Jefferson-Jackson
Dinner in Wheeling. He was joined by U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller.
"Act from fear," Manchin told those gathered. "We just can't rely on the Independents and moderate Republicans this time. If we are not making people who are Democrats--but who are at this point sufficiently unhappy that they don't want to go out and vote--then we are talking about the wrong things."
Politico noted that there while thirteen tables were set for dinner with "plates of Palm salad," three of the tables were empty.
"That little detail says a lot," said Jack Ellis, Senior Political Analyst for HNN. "When the two biggest heavyweights the Democrats have left in West Virginia--Governor Manchin and Senator Rockefeller--can't get a good crowd up and have empty tables at a J-J Dinner, the handwriting is on the wall. The Democrats can't stir up their own base. I've never seen anything quite like it here, but it's happening all over the state. It's real and it's palpable."
Politico also noted that a courteous bunch of Tea Party activists engaged the Democrats
at their own traditional party dinner, even helping their political rivals with parking.
"Even this small dinner attracted a dozen noisy tea partiers outside, who waved American flags, chanted, and politely directed Democrats to the parking garage adjacent to the hotel," according to Politico reporter Glenn Thrush.
"Now you gotta like that," said Ellis. "These Tea Party folks just proved that you can be at odds on the issues while still showing class to your opponent. The more the Tea Partiers act polite and show good will, even to the most die-hard of Democratic activists in West Virginia, the more friends they're going to make across the state."
Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller seemed at times to be less than enthusiastic for the Governor's campaign, at least when talk turned to Manchin's widely-ridiculed "gun ad," where he shoots a Cap and Trade Bill.
"I didn't see it, and I probably would not have done it myself," Rockefeller told Politico regarding the gun ad.
"Things are souring for Manchin now," said Ellis. "Manchin has run such a mean-spirited and clumsy race that even Jay Rockefeller isn't very enthused about his chances. It's gotten so bad that the Governor now has to plead even before small crowds of Democrats for help. Shouldn't he have had them nailed down way before now?"
"This story tell us again that people want a change from Obama in D.C. and
immediately," said Ellis. "Raese is seen as the best antidote for that, given
Manchin's going to bat for Manchin on Obamacare, the carbon tax, and the
trillion dollar stimulus package that went nowhere. There's a consequence
for backing unpopular measures, and Joe Manchin is paying the piper for his
strong support of the President. It's really that simple."
"I heard a new slogan for Raese's campaign," said Ellis. I think it captures the
mood of the West Virginia electorate as well as anything I've heard this year:
"Manchin may say that he'll vote against Obama's agenda, but we KNOW Raese will."
"That's where people across the board are going these days if the national polls are correct," said Ellis. "There's really not much Manchin or Rockefeller can do about that. Not this year. This is Raese's race to lose. He's in the driver's seat."
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"Act from Fear." Politico Says Manchin Appears Desperate
Campaign 2010: The Raese/Manchin U.S. Senate Race
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
According to Politico, the online national political magazine, Governor
Joe Manchin is striking a note of desperation. As the Democratic candidate
for U.S. Senate, Manchin pleaded for help with Democratic activists in
the Northern Panhandle this past Saturday night at a Jefferson-Jackson
Dinner in Wheeling. He was joined by U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller.
"Act from fear," Manchin told those gathered. "We just can't rely on the Independents and moderate Republicans this time. If we are not making people who are Democrats--but who are at this point sufficiently unhappy that they don't want to go out and vote--then we are talking about the wrong things."
Politico noted that there while thirteen tables were set for dinner with "plates of Palm salad," three of the tables were empty.
"That little detail says a lot," said Jack Ellis, Senior Political Analyst for HNN. "When the two biggest heavyweights the Democrats have left in West Virginia--Governor Manchin and Senator Rockefeller--can't get a good crowd up and have empty tables at a J-J Dinner, the handwriting is on the wall. The Democrats can't stir up their own base. I've never seen anything quite like it here, but it's happening all over the state. It's real and it's palpable."
Politico also noted that a courteous bunch of Tea Party activists engaged the Democrats
at their own traditional party dinner, even helping their political rivals with parking.
"Even this small dinner attracted a dozen noisy tea partiers outside, who waved American flags, chanted, and politely directed Democrats to the parking garage adjacent to the hotel," according to Politico reporter Glenn Thrush.
"Now you gotta like that," said Ellis. "These Tea Party folks just proved that you can be at odds on the issues while still showing class to your opponent. The more the Tea Partiers act polite and show good will, even to the most die-hard of Democratic activists in West Virginia, the more friends they're going to make across the state."
Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller seemed at times to be less than enthusiastic for the Governor's campaign, at least when talk turned to Manchin's widely-ridiculed "gun ad," where he shoots a Cap and Trade Bill.
"I didn't see it, and I probably would not have done it myself," Rockefeller told Politico regarding the gun ad.
"Things are souring for Manchin now," said Ellis. "Manchin has run such a mean-spirited and clumsy race that even Jay Rockefeller isn't very enthused about his chances. It's gotten so bad that the Governor now has to plead even before small crowds of Democrats for help. Shouldn't he have had them nailed down way before now?"
"This story tell us again that people want a change from Obama in D.C. and
immediately," said Ellis. "Raese is seen as the best antidote for that, given
Manchin's going to bat for Manchin on Obamacare, the carbon tax, and the
trillion dollar stimulus package that went nowhere. There's a consequence
for backing unpopular measures, and Joe Manchin is paying the piper for his
strong support of the President. It's really that simple."
"I heard a new slogan for Raese's campaign," said Ellis. I think it captures the
mood of the West Virginia electorate as well as anything I've heard this year:
"Manchin may say that he'll vote against Obama's agenda, but we KNOW Raese will."
"That's where people across the board are going these days if the national polls are correct," said Ellis. "There's really not much Manchin or Rockefeller can do about that. Not this year. This is Raese's race to lose. He's in the driver's seat."
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