Wednesday, October 20, 2004
A 0th Birthday Present to Julia From the NRSC
by Tom Bozzo
My good buddy Tim Michels has lost a $1.2 million National Republican Senatorial Committee ad buy. By way of explanation, the NRSC spokesperson diplomatically cited "limited resources."(*) By "revealed preference," this translates into "Michels is toast," though Michels still is insisting on dissipating a fair amount of his personal fortune, and those of various individual donors and PACs, in the effort.
So what happened? I think the Cap Times has it essentially right here. My qualms about Michels, versus his primary opponents, had focused on his potential to get enough emotionally-driven swing voters with limited grasps of the issues to vote for his Inspiring Personal Story (TM).(**) He has chosen instead to re-run Mark Neumann's ugly campaign from 1998 -- but without big NRSC bucks behind him this time.
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(*) For those who might be despairing over possible election outcomes, this also constitutes a tacit admission that the Senate races in general are going much less well for the Republicans than they might have expected a few months ago, including but not limited to the spectacular meltdown south of the border.
(**) As far as I know, the good Professor hasn't weighed in on the Senate race.
With the arrival of the new baby, I almost forgot to mention one piece of good news from the Senate race in Wisconsin.
My good buddy Tim Michels has lost a $1.2 million National Republican Senatorial Committee ad buy. By way of explanation, the NRSC spokesperson diplomatically cited "limited resources."(*) By "revealed preference," this translates into "Michels is toast," though Michels still is insisting on dissipating a fair amount of his personal fortune, and those of various individual donors and PACs, in the effort.
So what happened? I think the Cap Times has it essentially right here. My qualms about Michels, versus his primary opponents, had focused on his potential to get enough emotionally-driven swing voters with limited grasps of the issues to vote for his Inspiring Personal Story (TM).(**) He has chosen instead to re-run Mark Neumann's ugly campaign from 1998 -- but without big NRSC bucks behind him this time.
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(*) For those who might be despairing over possible election outcomes, this also constitutes a tacit admission that the Senate races in general are going much less well for the Republicans than they might have expected a few months ago, including but not limited to the spectacular meltdown south of the border.
(**) As far as I know, the good Professor hasn't weighed in on the Senate race.
