What if you threw a campaign and no one came?

by: LiberalLucy

Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 17:52:13 PM EST

As we heard on Friday, House Speaker Andy Dillon told the world that he would be announcing his official run for governor today on Sunday with a state-wide tour with several stops around the state, including Saginaw. 

Just a couple hours ago, MLive ran with a story that 'technical difficulties' prevented Mr. Dillon from holding his appearance in Saginaw. What technology?? Unless he had a laser show planned, technology never has a place in a campaign stop.

Not only that, but rumors from folks on the ground in the area are pretty conclusive that the only thing lacking was the actual supporters to provide the camera-ready backdrop for the media despite multiple attempts to shore up support by senior staff. 

Even more interesting is who did meet with Dillon on an earlier date.

According to sources, Dillon met with an 'unknown entity' in Midland on Feb. 15th, the same day he was trying to meet with local Democratic party officials in Saginaw. 

Given Dillon's conservative politics of the last 5 years, the odds are pretty good that he was having a close door meeting with the extreme-right minds of the Mackinac Center.

While it's pure speculation at this point, it's not too much of a stretch, particularly when you consider the politics of both parties, as well the lack of berating by the Center of Dillon as of late. Say what you will, but given Mackinac's love of beating up Democrats, they've been awfully quiet when it comes to the Speaker. 

At the end of the day, the Mackinac Center maybe the best Dillon can get. After a long reign of vehemently anti-labor, anti-environmental, anti-stem cell, anti-everything progressive, Dillon is the Democratic proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing at best.

Perhaps the only 'technical difficulities' Dillon's campaign had in Saginaw was getting the Right folks out. 

Exercising for Rep Byrum!

by: ProgressiveFemale

Thu Sep 11, 2008 at 15:46:11 PM EDT

Mission Not Accomplished - Caring for Our Veterans

by: Gary Peters

Fri May 02, 2008 at 11:11:08 AM EDT

Friends,

First, I’d like to begin by thanking all of you for your support. Because of contributions from people like you, our campaign has just been ranked in CQ’s list of the top ten best funded challengers in the country. The voters in Michigan’s 9th Congressional district are tired of the failed leadership they’ve gotten from my opponent, Congressman Joe Knollenberg, for the past sixteen years, and they’re eager for a real change in Washington.

As a former Lt. Commander in the Navy, I wanted to take a moment to write to you this week as we pass the fifth anniversary of one of the most shameful moments in recent American history. On May 1st, 2003, President George W. Bush landed on the USS Abraham Lincoln, in front of the now-infamous “Mission Accomplished” banner and said these words: “My fellow Americans, major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.”

More after the break. 

Clinton's backdealings lock up delegates

by: maytak

Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 12:17:25 PM EST

Though Hillary Clinton won New Hampshire, her back door dealings have already seem to have secured her a position in the White House, barely trying.

Just like the general election where the electoral college is the only vote that matters, the primaries have a similar system that parallels the electoral college in process. It's call the delegates and superdelegates.
Here's an explanation of what they are and how they're selected. They aren't voted for at all:

And here is the list of delegates who have already committed to a candidate even BEFORE the primaries:

Clinton's campaign co-chair is Terri McAuliffe, who works and is very influential in the DNC. He was able to lock some of the DNC for Hillary anyways. What is your opinion of this?

Meijer and dirty politics

by: yvette248

Mon Dec 24, 2007 at 06:40:53 AM EST

Looks like Meijer is the latest to be caught in the political scandal machine. Apparently the firm spent tens of thousands of dollars to illegally (or at least unethically) fund a recall campaign in Northern Michigan.

Retail giant Meijer Inc. has acknowledged funding a failed recall effort targeting elected officials in this northern Michigan community that followed years of zoning disputes about a planned store.

Meijer paid a public relations business at least $30,000 in an effort to remove the board for Grand Traverse County's Acme Township, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported Sunday, citing its review of records in the case.

"Prior to this month, senior company officials believed that no financial contributions had been made to a local taxpayers group," Meijer said in statement Saturday. "New information indicates otherwise."

The public relations business crafted recall language, devised election strategy, wrote campaign literature and used local residents as figureheads, the newspaper said. The contributions weren't reported to the state.

Maybe we should start a Shop Progressive campaign and start taking our dem dollars to Kroger?

Greetings

by: elisematz

Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 19:37:07 PM EST

Dear Friends, Liberals, Michiganders,

It's a pleasure to be here with you all. As a newly minted political hack, it's delightful to know that this community exists to help guide my way.

After graduating, I decided to stay in Detroit and "get involved," whatever that meant. I think I had some vague idea of protesting; if anybody knows about a good, disorderly protest happening in the Detroit metro area, please let me know.

Thank goodness, then, that a few weeks later I was lucky enough to meet up with Lee Gaddies, who was looking for volunteers to help run his bid for 7th District State Representative. I went to his campaign meeting. I bought a pack steno note pads. This is my story.

People like us?

by: yvette248

Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 21:33:14 PM EST

It's become disconcertingly clear, that some of "us" really aren't much better than the enemy we rail against. I can't believe that a true blue democrat would stoop to republican-like smear tactics. Yes, dirty campaigns are a reality, but attacking a person's race or religion "should" have no place in our community.

Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign on Sunday requested the resignation of a second Iowa volunteer coordinator who forwarded a hoax e-mail saying Barack Obama is a Muslim possibly intent on destroying the United States.

"Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential Candidacy," read the e-mail. "Please forward to everyone you know. The Muslims have said they Plan on destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than at The highest level."

This is the 2nd county coordinator in a month who was forced to step down over "forwarding" nasty e-mail rumors. Yes, internet communications is powerful, but it can also ruin careers. Be careful, judicious and fair.

Hostage situation at Clinton HQ

by: yvette248

Fri Nov 30, 2007 at 14:53:35 PM EST

ROCHESTER, N.H. - A man claiming to have a bomb walked in to Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign offices Friday and took hostages, police and witnesses said.
Witness Lettie Tzizik told television station WMUR of Manchester that she spoke to a woman shortly after she was released from the office by the suspect. The woman was carrying an infant, and crying. "She said, 'You need to call 911. A man has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape," Tzizik said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200...

New Website, New Blog

by: ryanhersha

Tue Jun 26, 2007 at 15:36:25 PM EDT

I wanted to let you know that I have an ALL NEW campaign website (at the same location as my old site): http://HERSHA.ORG

Please check it out! From the site you can learn more about the campaign, sign up to volunteer, or, if you live too far away to volunteer on a regular basis, make online contributions. :)

Also: I will be doing all my blog posts from hersha.org from now on. I will try to cross post at both hersha.org and the old "fight for the future" blogspot for a while (though for some reason I'm unable to do so today). Eventually, though, everything will be from hersha.org.

Thank you for visiting and for getting involved in my 2007 campaign if you can!

Ryan Hersha
269 830 9116
ryan@hersha.org
www.hersha.org