Remember back in the day before the interwebs, when campaigns were campaigns? If you wanted voters to see your ad, you actually had to buy TV time. If you wanted people to read your thoughts, you had to write a letter (a letter! with a stamp!) to the editor and hope they actually published it.
And if you were running a campaign, you would give a phone call to the local press to try to push your point across.
Now?
It's all about Facebook, baby!
Case in point: The other day (Sunday, March 1st), KFAB radio morning host Scott Voorhees asked his "Friends" on his Facebook Wall if they had any topics for his upcoming show.
And then here were two comments by people on different sides of the Omaha Mayor campaign: Trenton Magid, President of the Coldwell Banker Commercial World Group and friend, fundraiser, co-worker and a top supporter of Councilman Jim Vokal; and Brinker Harding, campaign manager for Hal Daub. See the exchange here.
What really caught our attention here was (what we perceived as) the attack by Harding on this issue. We've seen the Daub supporters go out of their way to attack Vokal on this point. And Hal Daub mentioned it, sort of offhandedly in an interview with KPTM (which no one saw). But this was the first time we saw Camp Daub really come out publically on this issue.
So we asked Brinker Harding what was behind the comment.
Brinker said that he and Magid have known each other a long time -- both being in the real estate biz together (though at different companies). He said, "We throw jokes back and forth. I saw his post and thought I’d have a little fun with him."
Well...except, in Facebook protocol, he should then have sent Magid a private message or whatever. Instead, it went to Voorhees and 805 (and counting) of his closest Friends (and now, you).
Harding also noted that he didn't see Magid's follow-up response and declined our request to comment any further about it.
So we asked Brinker Harding what was behind the comment.
Brinker said that he and Magid have known each other a long time -- both being in the real estate biz together (though at different companies). He said, "We throw jokes back and forth. I saw his post and thought I’d have a little fun with him."
Well...except, in Facebook protocol, he should then have sent Magid a private message or whatever. Instead, it went to Voorhees and 805 (and counting) of his closest Friends (and now, you).
Harding also noted that he didn't see Magid's follow-up response and declined our request to comment any further about it.
So here is what we propose: Let's just do it all on the Series of Tubes. Let's have the first Mayoral debate, via IM, on Facebook.
We can even bring back Calvert Collins from her new gig in Las Vegas to host it.
She's a Facebook vet...
***
And who says there's no interesting politicking going on west of Omaha? Not us!Hey look who is running for one of the three at-large City Council seats in Lincoln: Dr. John!
Who you ask? Oh, like you never glanced at Dr. John's adult novelty emporium on 72nd and Pacific in Omaha, or just off the interstate in Lincoln? Or that you've never been up aisle four where the sell all the colored...uh...well, anyway... he has some stores that sell "adult" items.
And if you've watched the news in the last few years you know that Dr. John (we're not sure whether he has an M.D. or a Ph.D) is really John Haltom. He has been arrested several times on obscenity charges, mainly for the videos he sells at his stores. And as he has said in the past, arrests is good for bidness!
But anyone who has tried Googling the White House knows that you can't swing a dead cat on the intertubes without being offered porn of some type. Is there anyone really going to Dr. Johns to purchase video tapes? Do they still sell video tapes? Anywhere?
So what is a guy like Dr. John to do if he can't get the pub by being arrested? Run for City Council!
According to the LJS, he says that he will, "work to protect people’s rights, improve snow removal, push the state to allow more billboard advertising along the interstate, promote the return of $8 million in a special assessment fund to taxpayers and work to reduce taxes."
So you see folks, Dr. John is all about the snow removal.
That, and marital aids. (We now open the floor to insert your joke here!)
***
Senator Ben Nelson has been getting the wrath of the liberals of late. Uber-lib blogger Chris Bowers of Open Left has declared that Nellie and his cohort of "Moderate" Democrats are now "The Opposition".
Of course this stems from Nelson's sticking his foot into the stimulus package to get it dropped from 900 gazillion to 899 gazillion. And now Nelson is saying that the President's budget is too high as well.
All this sort of makes us sigh.
The lefties are up in arms at someone like Nelson, but he is actually perfect for the President. The Prez and Reid and Pelosi propose some ridiculous plan, then conservative Benator jumps in and says "hold on there!" Everyone steps back, let's Nelson chip off a few porksicles from the whole process, and then the Libs pretend to grumble about ALL that they've given away.
Nelson looks like a hero -- and will probably get reelected for as long as he wants -- while the Libs' proposal has 99-100% of what they wanted in the first place.
That's some racket they've got going there.
And in the mean time, Nelson gets to stand next to Rush Limbaugh on the Lib bloggers Most Hated list.
(shaking head in amazement...)
Posts
36 comments:
SS, that has been the MO of Congress from time immemorium. The real reason the Dems are pissed at the Republicans is that they won't go along with business as usual. They couldn't even get the moderates in the House to roll over and play dead. So Nelson will probably try to parlay being hated by the Left into a reason for Nebraskans to be proud of him, but when our economy is still in the tank in 2012, being on some Lefty Enemies' List won't be enough and Bennie will retire to his "farmland."
At first glance, I thought you were doing a separated abt birth with Trenton Magid and Dr. John.
So pointing out Jim Vokal is a hypocrit for taking Fire union money on facebook is an attack when it was Jim Vokal that made it an issue? It seems that is an appropriate concern to address.
An "appropriate concern" is what your mother has when you're not home before midnight.
A campaign manager "pointing out" another candidate's fundraising positions is an attack. Call it a "comparison" or an "issue bullet point", or whatever else you'd like, if that helps you.
But the real point of all this is using Facebook as your medium of choice.
It's a modern world, no?
An attack? Oh please. An attack is not addressing an issue that Vokal himself raised in the FIRST place! What, should everyone just ignore the fact that Vokal accepted a check from them the day before he announced his candidacy, but then two months later comes out all high and mighty saying he won't accept any money from them during his candidacy for mayor? That's ridiculous.
So, by Brinker suggesting an issue that was being discussed in the media is an attack? So anytime anyone asks about an issue or position that Jim Vokal has it's an attack.
By the way, why isn't it an attack when Jim Vokal calls Hal Daub "dishonest"? Or, why isn't it an attack when Vokal calls Jim Suttle "irresponsible"? At least Daub and Suttle are proposing things (granted, some of Suttle's are a little out there) to move Omaha forward.
All Jim Vokal is doing is sitting in his bunker shooting down any ideas from the other candidates. That's Vokal's "new" leadership?
I don't think your "modern world" is so modern SS.
By the way...
If/when Vokal calls/called Daub "dishonest", that would absoLUTEly be an "attack". How could it be anything else?
And why are you commenters so hung up on the word "attack"? It's a campaign. That's what campaigns do.
Judge for yourself whether the attack is "fair" or whatever (I think here, Harding's attack is eminently "fair" -- it's certainly a campaign issue).
But it's ain't the message that's unusual. It's the medium...
From Anon 11:23 to SS-
Well Vokal did call Hal dishonest and Vokal did call Suttle irresponsible, but I guess it's more noteworthy to say Harding is "attacking" Vokal because he suggests to Vorhees to talk about an issue already being talked about in the newspaper, on tv and on radio?
One of us needs our head examined.
Do you not realize how transparent you have become SS? You do a whole post that you claim is about how UNUSUAL it is for campaigns to be using Facebook, when it's really just another way for you to get your own ATTACK in on the Hal Daub campaign.
This post isn't about Brinker Harding using Facebook at all. It's just to try and say he's "attacking" Jim Vokal. Please.
In the words of Leo on Little Einsteins..."Unbelievable!"
So it's an "attack" if Harding mentions a subject that every other media outlet is reporting on, but it's not an attack when Trenton Magid is accusing the Daub campaign of collusion?
SS, I fear you have wandered off of the camp
Well, that's an interesting theory, but let's look at it from another angle:
If Harding was quoted in the OWH on the same thing, that wouldn't really be worth talking about would it? If he said it on KFAB or WOWT, would that be interesting? Probably not.
But when he posts it in a sort of semi-private setting, yet for the whole world to see, as a way to "have a little" with a Vokal supporter (Brinker's words), I find that interesting and post-worthy.
And to Anony 11:53 (it would REALLY help if you guys picked a pseudonymn -- you DON'T have to sign in to do it),
Yes, I would consider Magid's response to Harding an attack on Daub.
SS- I think you need a life line. Now you say that Harding is "attacking" Jim Vokal by having "a little" fun with Trenton Magid. It seems to me that Harding has a sense humor (something missing in politics) and you don't.
ss- when you concockted this story...thought about it...and then posted it, it was all about Harding's "attack". Now almost two hours after posting (and the previous mentioned "thought" time) you say that Magid' accusation of collusion IS an attack. WHy wasn't that part of the origianl post?
Because who cares whether or not something is called an "attack", that's why.
Sheesh.
In response to SS 12:15 post- So then why was this post worthy in the first place?
This is such a pro-Vorhees blog. admit it SS.
You Daub-o-philes are an embarassment to a good man.
"You Daub-o-philes are an embarassment to a good man."
Amen
As the only person reading this who got to the bottom of the comments section and is not a Daub/Vokal/Suttle staffer, let me field this one, SS.
The post is worthy because it is highlighting the fact that all of you have gone from a bickering gaggle of "anonymous" Leavenworth street commenters to actually using real names in public forums on Facebook. Frankly, I find it to be a refreshingly open way to do all this "debating," and I'm glad SS brought it to my attention. Thanks Sweeper.
Did you hear the news about Professor Kleeb, or should I say ex-professor Kleeb? Sweeper you are getting slow!!!
Hmm. If Scott Kleeb falls in a forest and no one is around to hear him...
The word we get from the rumor mill is that his contract wasn't renewed and he may be job hunting.
Though he's supposed to be doing his Kobe beef and renewable energy thing, right?
Hope SEIU pays well...
I think the post is relevant because most of you Daub folks have been talking about the negativity of Vokal and the positive campaign run by Daub.
I don't know if this is quite an "attack" by Harding, but it's certainly taking the high road as they would have you believe.
Should be "NOT" taking the high road...
So, to take the "high road" in a campaign you need to just let your opponent say any old thing they like to make themselves look better, even if they're totally playing with the facts? It's an "attack" if you call them on it? Or you're taking the "low road" if you call them on it? But you're taking the "high road" if you just ignore it?
Oh yeah, now THAT is some smart politicking -- not! Sheesh. Give me a break.
Vokal hasn't seen what an attack is yet!!!
Street Sweeper has officially jumped the shark.
Facebook users such as "friends" of mine like Jason Whitlock of the K C Star, Tom Becka of KFAB, George Stephenopolis of ABC, Scott Simon of NPR, Robert Nelson of the OWH and more all go to the site for inspiration and to market their craft.
Face it, the users of Facebook and blogger sites like this one all have readers and writers with much to add and viewpoints worthy of consideration.
Asking for help on facebook for people with real jobs in the media is a fact of life.
Ricky From omaha
Sweeper, I'm finding it hard to see how sending a message on Facebook to a personal friend is the same as a public attack. I'm sure Jordan McGrain grumbles to his friends too.
It's pretty plain to most observers:
- Jim Vokal has been on the attack, in public, from day one, and Hal Daub has been his target.
- Hal Daub hasn't attacked Jim Vokal or any other candidate.
The fact is that Jim Vokal did call a press conference 2 weeks ago, out of the blue, to declaring that he would not accept police or fire union money in his campaign. No one asked him to do that. And frankly he could have had a more dramatic press conference by bringing the checks and ripping them up.
The problem, though, is that he does have, in his campaign account right now, two checks totaling $5,000 from the firefighters, making them his 2nd biggest contributor among businesses. This money is financing his campaign right now, and that's why people are calling it 'tainted.'
The problem is that Jim Vokal has no problem being a hypocrite, if it doesn't get him in trouble.
"And why are you commenters so hung up on the word "attack"? It's a campaign. That's what campaigns do."
You meant to say, 'That's what Jordan McGrain's campaigns do.'
Aren't these guys a little old to be on Facebook?
Read your previous posts list Sweeper. The "Sheriff's request" is funny.
This may be Vokalstreet Blog, but SS has Ben Nelson pegged exactly right. That steaming pile of self interest serves Obama perfectly.
Ben Nelson is the sort of politican who keeps the KGB from looking like the MVD. Ben makes Obama easier to swallow and that brings happiness the inhabitants of the Gulag America.
Daub picked up the labor Unions, it's all over!!!!
considering failed ex-radio host Chip Maxwell who whinned about himself losing to Marc Kraft in a Omaha election in November 2008
is now running for city council in Omaha
should dr. john running for lincoln city council be a shocker?
I dont think so
To anon 3:05. If Professor Kleeb is doing anything, it is more than Iron Mike has done. Now Iron Mike and Adrian are both protecting the large corporate farm subsidies. I could say Iron Mike is protecting his child, but he never had a farm bill, other than the one he threw on his desk as he turned out the lights. Of course, he claimed it was Bush's farm bill, not his. Two years later he doesn't vote for the AG because he has always been a patsy of the Clinton administration and the party. Who was, and still is your puppet master, Sen Nohands?
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