August 22, 2006
Allen's Campaign Shifts Gears, Seeks Help
Burned by a blog-induced firestorm over an an off-hand comment at a campaign rally, Sen. George Allen's campaign is seeking a conservative blog maven who can blunt future attacks and help rally conservatives in the state and elsewhere behind Allen's campaign.
The search is one of several steps Allen's brain trust will take in the next few weeks to retool his campaign. Several Republicans close to the campaign said Allen was deeply frustrated at what one Republican called "the inept response and lack of ability of his team to handle crisis management in an effective and professional manner."
Today, Allen's campaign manager, Dick Wadhams, sent allies an e-mail memo blasting the media for refusing to accept Allen's apology. The memo suggests that that the campaign may try to focus support for Allen by portraying him as a victim of a liberal media elite.
"Apparently the media's standard for candidates is now that they must be perfect, not human, and that no mistake or verbal gaffe is to be forgiven, no matter how much the candidate apologize," Wadhams writes in the memo. "Will the Washington Post hold it's candidate for the U.S. Senate to the same standard? We will see, but I'm not holding my breath."
Later, he writes, "You are the secret weapon that Senator Allen has always confounded the pundits with." The memo ends with an exhortation to "show the liberal interest groups that by coming to Virginia, they have gotten more than they bargained for and that they need not bother us ever again!"
According to an e-mail circulating among conservatives, Chris LaCivita, Allen's longtime strategist, and other Allen aides believe that the campaign has so far failed to appreciate the generative role that bloggers can play -- and the consequences that pertain when the GOP Netroots aren't mobilizied on behalf of candidates.
LaCivita is looking for a prominent conservative online strategist to join the campaign's staff. Chad Dotson, a Virginia prosecutor who blogs as Commonwealth Conservative, is helping LaCivita with the recruitment effort. Since Dotson is an elected official and is soon up for re-election, it's unlikely that he'd be cleared to join the campaign as a paid staff member.
LaCivita declined to comment and Dotson did not respond to an e-mail sent to an address listed on his website. The authencity of the e-mail was confirmed by two sources who were privy to its creation and distribution.
LaCivita is an expert at bypassing the traditional media filter. He maintains backchannel relationships with many prominent bloggers and political webmasters. He crafted the strategy that used the conservative blogosphere to distribute the initial claims made by members of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. In 2004, Dick Wadhams, Allen's campaign manager, employed two bloggers to help delegitimize South Dakota's most influential newspaper. Wadhams believed that the Sioux Falls Argus Leader was hopelessly biased against challenger John Thune and in favor of longtime incumbent Tom Daschle.
But Virginia Republican bloggers have yet to rally behind Allen with the same intensity that the liberal Netroots has circled James Webb.
President Bush will raise money for Allen tomorrow night. Today, a White House spokesperson said Allen's apology was good enough for them and that the President has no qualms about helping Allen. [MARC AMBINDER]
Posted at 04:38 PM
Comments
"Today, a White House spokesperson said Allen's apology was good enough for them and that the President has no qualms about helping Allen."
From a White House that doesn't believe in apologies anyway, that's no big deal!!
Sophia | 08.22.06 06:09 PM
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Sophia, the fact that this President doesn't believe in issuing insincere, meaningless apologies in lieu of actually doing something to fix the problems, the way the last guy did, is no reason to get huffy.
CavalierX | 08.23.06 05:45 AM
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George Bush and George Allen: allies in macacahood.
ben | 08.23.06 07:11 AM
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Perhaps there's a good reason conservatives haven't galvanized behind Allen. Apparently he's not a compelling candidate and has failed to energize his base in Virginia. The macaca clip just confirms what a lot of people probably already suspected about his character. Syonara 2008 Mr. Allen.
Peter | 08.23.06 09:41 AM
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Like George W. Bush, George Felix Allen had one thing (and only one thing) going for him when he began his political career, namely his family name.
This jerk no more deserves to be a senator, much less prez, than the bonehead presently taking up valuable space at 1600 Penn. Ave.
jesse | 08.23.06 11:15 AM
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It's not that people make mistakes, but the "cover up" of equating Macaca to Mohawk. It's insincere and treats his constiuents like dummies that deserve to have the wool pulled over their eyes. More importantly he's never taken responsibility for any of his racist actions. If he took on the confederate flag stuff head on right after the Macaca thing he might have been able to recover. He chose not to and spewed his racist version of the "real Virginia." He might still win, but I hope the rest of the country wakes up to his bullying tactics.
jacketpotato | 08.23.06 12:21 PM
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It maybe having another bonehead dynast in office with past family ties to Islamic lands ain't in the cards this goround
Sly Fanatic | 08.23.06 02:01 PM
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Finding nothing new under the sun, the liberal loonies continue to try to make something out of nothing. You want racism? Take a look at today's LA Times editorial on Andrew Young.
Lefties are going down the drain faster than a conscientious plumber can flush the john and still the dive in with great vigor. Soon it will be time for roto-rooter.
Reverend Scaramonga | 08.23.06 07:51 PM
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Can any of you idiots actually tell me what "macaca" means? No, I didn't think so. The DNC talking points memo says it's a racial slur, so you mindlessly repeat it like the parrots you are. In fact, all this fake outrage only confirms George Allen as a viable candidate for '08. Thanks!
CavalierX | 08.24.06 05:36 AM
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Allen's belated apology and the inconsistent handling of the gaffe by his staff are only dragging this flap out. The original incident was minor, but the spin control discredits the Party of Lincoln. I don't like to jump to conclusions, but there is no longer any doubt that "macaca" WAS a racial slur. Besides the French usage, it is also the name of a soccer team in Brazil; It means female monkey and conveys a sort of self-deprecating underdog image, like when Johnny Damon called his own team "idiots." (!) See: http://andrewclem.com/Archives/Post.php?2006/08/24la.html (scroll down to second item)
Andrew | 08.25.06 12:35 AM
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Jessica | 01.28.08 12:01 PM
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