The big picture
Let's just say that I'm with Flack on this.
Rand Knight had done a lot to impress me in recent months and, despite my allegiance to Josh Lanier, I was hoping that he might be able to slip into that run-off in place of Jim Martin and take on Vernon Jones. Well, no more. I can look beyond a pathetically fake Southern accent, but labeling yourself as some visionary while ripping the hardworking people from both parties who toil away in the Georgia General Assembly is ridiculous.
You see, here's my fundamental problem with folks like Knight and, to a lesser extent, those people who get all hyped up and say Democrats are taking back the governor's mansion and beating Saxby Chambliss ... we're not looking big picture. If you want to start seeing successes in these races, you need to draw from a deep bench and, in order to draw from a deep bench, you have to start getting Democrats elected at the local and state levels.
Now, I'm not trying to make a definitive argument that folks can't make the first foray into politics at the federal level or via a statewide office, but it's also important to remember that much of the success the GOP has had - and that I tip my hat to them for it - is through building up local relationships and effective candidate recruitment.
Look at the 10th Congressional District - while Paul Broun has really surprised the pundits, myself included, the GOP has been able to recruit a pair of qualified candidates with strong ties to their local communities, thus giving them an immediate pool of donors and a reliable voting base.
It's something I wish Knight would have recognized, and perhaps even supported, rather than dismissed.
Rand Knight had done a lot to impress me in recent months and, despite my allegiance to Josh Lanier, I was hoping that he might be able to slip into that run-off in place of Jim Martin and take on Vernon Jones. Well, no more. I can look beyond a pathetically fake Southern accent, but labeling yourself as some visionary while ripping the hardworking people from both parties who toil away in the Georgia General Assembly is ridiculous.
You see, here's my fundamental problem with folks like Knight and, to a lesser extent, those people who get all hyped up and say Democrats are taking back the governor's mansion and beating Saxby Chambliss ... we're not looking big picture. If you want to start seeing successes in these races, you need to draw from a deep bench and, in order to draw from a deep bench, you have to start getting Democrats elected at the local and state levels.
Now, I'm not trying to make a definitive argument that folks can't make the first foray into politics at the federal level or via a statewide office, but it's also important to remember that much of the success the GOP has had - and that I tip my hat to them for it - is through building up local relationships and effective candidate recruitment.
Look at the 10th Congressional District - while Paul Broun has really surprised the pundits, myself included, the GOP has been able to recruit a pair of qualified candidates with strong ties to their local communities, thus giving them an immediate pool of donors and a reliable voting base.
It's something I wish Knight would have recognized, and perhaps even supported, rather than dismissed.
posted by Jmac at 9:30 AM
3 Comments:
This is a clear mistake on Rand's part. The question could have been answered artfully (try saying: "the issues I care most about and the areas where I am most qualified to lead are federal issues" next time Rand). But Flack's attack is really just another expression of envy directed towards an ambitious young man.
It has been my experience that rank and file Democratic activists and "thought leaders" within the party are easily upset by ambitious upstarts.
decon
The senate race is a great example of why, in the end, Georgia will be written off by Obama in the stretch. There is no way that his coat tales will be long enough to bring the nominee into any sort of competition with Chambliss - so he will look else where for the 15 electoral votes.
I can't blame him.
Ah, the "Sunday Paper". That publication is a print supplement for the "talk" radio/Fox News set.
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