Slam and Volley

After spending a week getting hammered in the press and in mailings, City Councilman Jim Vokal made himself an official Mayoral candidate yesterday.

And then he started hammering fellow Mayoral candidate Hal Daub.

Now Daub spent yesterday addressing his plan for a 10% tax credit against property taxes owed for home improvements.  OK, so a plan for lower taxes, with an added benefit of increasing home valuations in the long run and putting builders to work. Sounds like a decent plan. (And we provide you a link here where you can read the ENTIRE Daub press release on this.) 

But Vokal (and Jim Suttle) don't like it. At least not on its face.

Vokal voiced skepticism of the plan because he says it would be too much of a drop in the revenue stream for the state -- and the Governor may not like that.

Hmm.

OK, I understand that Vokal is frustrated by spending a week being a punching bag. And that he feels that Daub is responsible for that, and that his campaign needs to go on the offensive.

But knocking a plan to cut taxes and spur economic growth because, potentially, "we can't pay for it"? Now that's not exactly a conservative Republican response, is it?

We would have suggested something along the lines of, "That's an interesting idea, but maybe Mr. Daub should be running for State Senator or Governor, since that is a plan that would have to be approved in Lincoln. Instead, in this campaign we should be talking about ideas that can be implemented by the Mayor of Omaha, like my plan for (insert plan here)."

Now, there's an easy argument by the Daub folks that it's also the Mayor's job to come up with ideas that will require state cooperation, etc. But in responding as suggested above, Vokal doesn't sound like just a naysayer, still gets a jab in at his opponent, and steers the conversation to

 something positive.

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By the way, Jim Suttle's response to Daub's plan?

(We paraphrase,) "Why, this isn't good enough for the stimulus plan! This wouldn't go into effect for another ten months! We need economic development now!"

Uh, Councilman Kookypants...no one said this was part of the "federal economic stimulus". This is a plan for the benefit of taxpayers and builders, and potentially the local economy in general. Whether it goes into effect two days or two years from now has nothing to do with whether or not it would be an effective plan.

But since you brought it up, what are YOUR plans for immediate economic development? You know, the ones that you claim Omaha NEEDS NOW, and will reduce gang violence and all that.

Nothing? Toboggan runs and ice rinks?
OK. That's what we thought.

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Vokal wasn't done with Daub on that point however.

In the OWH this morning, there was this:

Vokal said Daub's contentious relationship with the City Council in the 1990s is still on the minds of voters.

"He couldn't get along with people. He couldn't bring people together," said Vokal.

OK, again, we understand this line of argument. Frankly, it should be Vokal's main line of attack against Daub, since it was the successful line of attack by Mike Fahey when he beat Daub in 2001.

But, here is where we don't like it:

If he wants to win, Vokal needs to stay positive. A candidate in general needs to stay positive. So in this arguably opening salvo (since he just filed), where a candidate is going to get some free media, you need to be ticking off what you want to do for the city, your plans to fix the pensions, and the stadium and blah blah blah blah. You need to give people a reason to trust you.

Now, Vokal (and any candidate) also needs to whack his main opponent. But that doesn't mean the attack should be coming from him. We would argue as well, that it shouldn't be his campaign manager, because then it just comes from "the Vokal campaign".

This is where Vokal needs someone else to stand in for him to give that line. Someone else to give the angry face, while Jim is off to the side kissing hands and shaking babies. Instead the public sees angry and negative Vokal, when that's the exact opposite of what should be coming right now.

***

Vokal final slam of the day came via Joe Jordan of KMTV. Now we have to say that we've been waiting for Jordan to say SOMETHING more about the whole thing with the police union and the mailers, etc. We just couldn't see him sitting on the sidelines through something like that.

So on his report last night, he "reported" on a "controversy" between Vokal and Daub. Now, you can be the judge but it seems like this may have been created by asking Vokal if he thought Daub would have credibility to take on the Police Union if Daub is endorsed by them. So, of course, Vokal said no. (Now we will take this all back if this was indeed initiated by Vokal, but from our viewing, it doesn't look that way.)

Jordan  then goes to Daub campaign manager Brinker Harding, who gave the easy response that Vokal already said he has a deal with the Firefighter's Union, so how can he talk?

What's the upshot of all this to Joe Voter?

Well, candidates bickering about nothing, essentially.
But it makes for good TV and bloggin', right?

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(By the way, good move by Brinker to leave the Euro-techno-artist glasses in the desk drawer...)

***

After our post yesterday about Tom White and a possible run at the Governor's mansion, we heard from a number of people who say they hear that White is more likely to run against Congressman Lee Terry for the CD-2 seat.

As we discussed, that would make more sense, considering the strength that Governor Dave Heineman has shown, and the close race that Terry just won.

Of course Terry's opponent, whomever it may be, won't have cult-of-personality campaign of Barack Obama running next to him on the ballot. And if past elections are any indication, as President Obama's superstar begins to tarnish, it may be that much more difficult to compete in what is still a Red Congressional District.

If White does go that route, that still leaves an opening for a Dem to take on Heineman. Steve Lathrop's name has been mentioned, but we just don't see a first termer taking on the Guv. But, stranger things have happened.

We are sure this story will progress...

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And finally, this on Channel 7, in full:

OMAHA, Neb. -- A wildlife worker noticed that a brain-damaged woodchuck was missing from its den over the weekend.

The woodchuck, named Mathilda, suffered the brain damage in April when it was hit by a car.

Nebraska Wildlife Rehabilitation cares for animals at workers' homes. Mathilda was based near 90th and Center streets.

The animal was being cared for by Laura Stastny. Stastny found the den unlocked and open, and she realized the woodchuck was gone.

Stastny said Mathilda's chances for survival are slim.

"My biggest concern is that somebody clearly broke into the cage to get her. If they just released her, she has no skills to survive in the wild and she'll be dead in a very short period of time," Stastny said.

Stastny said woodchucks are hibernating now. So if anyone spots one, it's probably Mathilda.

Anyone with information should call the rehab hot line at 341-8619 or drop off the animals at the Nebraska Humane Society.

So, just so we're all clear, not only are there groups out there caring for "brain-damaged woodchucks" (which they've named, of course). There are NEWS STORIES about rescuing kidnapped, brain-damaged woodchucks (with names)! 

(Was there a ransom note?)

I believe Homer Simpson said it best, when he exclaimed, "I'm livin' in a cuckoo-clock!"