Herrity Kick-Off At Country Club?

Seriously?

Do they not understand the mood of the country and of Republicans?  I've been to the Springfield Country Club before (for John Frey), and its nice don't get me wrong.  But in challenging the Democrats on out-of-control spending, do we really want a potential candidate kicking things off at a country club?  

Not really sending the best message here.  Maybe they think they are do the regular folks a favor but letting them see what a country club is like.

By comparison, Keith Fimian is having his Prince William kickoff at Guiseppe's Italian Grill in Haymarket.  

Comments

[David Skiles]

Did you have a problem when Dave Albo held an event there? Or better yet, Kerry Bolognese?

[Crystal Clear Conservative]

David,

Have you ever heard the term "Country Club Republicans?" Do we really want the GOP to be branded as the "Country Club" party? This is the brand we need to leave and return to being the party that represents the people.

[Chris]

David, the point of this is to show how tone-deaf the Herrity campaign seems to be. I don't have a problem with someone having a kick off there, like I said I've been there. But when Fimian is going after Herrity as the insider pick, the establishment pick, why would they set themselves up for another shot by doing this? It worries me that Herrity continues to walk right into this because like I said before if he can't handle Fimian what he going to do with Connolly?

The LAST thing Republican candidates need in 2010 is to be seen as a country club set out of touch with the folks.

[Dan]

When asked for comment on the allegation made by Mason Conservative that the Herrity campaign was tone deaf, a spokesperson for the Fimian campaign said, "HUH?"

If ever a campaign had no business accusing anyone else of being tone deaf it is the Fimian campaign.

Geez! You are stretching just a bit don't you think? Maybe you should stick with the Tom Davis as puppet master stuff. Or charging that the Herrity campaign was caught flat footed and unprepared because they had the good sense not to respond to the bizarre behavior of the Fimian campaign on the day of Herrity's announcement.

Don't get me wrong. I am rooting for you. As a Democrat I would like to see Fimian get the nomination. That's why it is so painful to see such a stream of silliness coming from Fimian supporters.

[Dan]

VA Blogger, I can't even remember where most of the campaign kickoffs were held over the years. And I attended a number of them.

The more important thing to remember is that the vast majority of folks who will vote in the primary won't have any idea where either candidate's kickoff was held. Nor would they give a rat's ass if they did know.

Total number of votes influenced by this equals.....

zero.

[BurkeCTR GOPer]

VA Blogger wants to work for Pat...the motivation for him sucking up is clear.

Dan thinks Connolly is going down either way, would rather have a squishy moderate like Herrity replace him than a conservative like Fimian.

[lo]

i'll say it again....getting picky about kick off locations is best left to those who already have their side picked....and i'll give you one guess whose side this blog is on....

[local gop]

Chris,
No one is buying into the 'insider' drivel....except you...and maybe greg over at bvbl....you dont like herrity because he challenged the almighty fimian who god himself apparently ordained to run against connolly as some seem to think...

[Let's Be Free]

I always vote against people who campaign on and along Old Keene Mill Road. Can't get any more elistist than that.

Congressional or Burning Tree or RTR it ain't. And they just don't have the Scholl's cafeterias any more.

[Donna widawski]

Chris,

Your comments about the location of Herrity's kick-off party is no different than a group of high school girls gossiping about someone they don't like.Don't be so ridiculous. Most well educated,well-meaning Republicans could really care less where someone decides to have their campaign kick-off party!

Chris-How about focusing your energy and disparaging comments for Congressman Connolly? Stop giving the Democrats ammunition against fellow Republicans.

[Some Observations...]

1. This is hardly the first time Chris has pointed out that country clubs make poor locations for kickoffs, victory parties, and other events where the press is invited. A prime example would be Jim Hyland.

2. Whether you like it or not, the charge has bite. Holding events for the public and the press at country clubs feeds the perception (fair or not) of the Republican Party as an elite party of rich white males.

We can whine about that perception if we want because, as Republicans, we understand the truth about our party. Simply bear in mind that we are handing ammunition to our critics to paint that image of us when we do this.

3. This can also matter to conservative activists (fair or not) because hobnobbing at the local country club is emblematic of what some conservative insurgents resent about the old guard party "establishment" they see themselves as trying to depose. That may seem silly (or even quite annoying) if you aspire to become one of the people sipping drinks at the country club, but there is a strongly populist streak to the activist base that sees "the country club" as representative of where the monied "insiders" cut deals that leave the activists out of the system except as pawns.

Is it a "real issue"? No.

It's purely symbolic. Not a lot of people are going to care, either.

But, whether we like it or not, symbols CAN matter.

[Donna widawski]

What symbols! Democrats and Republicans use country clubs all the time to host debates,fundraisers,kick-offs,etc. It is fact that country clubs provide large enough space to accommodate large crowds,usually good food and service.

Is it wrong for a Republican candidate who is " widely popular" for his campaign workers to find a location suitable to accommodate large crowds comfortably? Sounds like sour grapes to me on the part of Fimian supporters for their inability to draw large crowds!

Recently, The FC Dems held a 2010 "Road to Richmond" event at the Springfield Golf and County Club. WOW, where is the outrage on this site?

[Chris]

Donna, haven't seen you on here before so thank you for commenting. 'Preciate it.

But the point isn't whether its good or bad, and yes I have pointed this out before about country clubs. But what strikes me is that this is the kind of thing that opens Herrity up easily. And trust me, to the new insurgent tea party activists this may be a symbol that turns them off.

As a rule, I don't believe its a good idea to hold a campaign kick off in a place regular folks cannot normally go too.

[Dan]

"Dan thinks Connolly is going down either way, would rather have a squishy moderate like Herrity replace him than a conservative like Fimian."

BurkeCTR GOPer, you must not have read my first comment. I made it pretty clear that I prefer to see Fimian win the nomination. That is because I am a Democrat and I believe that clearly Fimian would be the weaker Republican in the general election. That is why I comment on the mind numbing stupidity of the nonsense being spouted by Fimian supporters. I would like to see the guy run a campaign that didn't seem like it was managed by chimpanzees.

And no, I don't think Connolly is going down either way. I believe he is the clear favorite against either of these guys. But I would be far more confident if Fimian is the Republican nominee.

Either way I would bet serious beer on Connolly. And I take beer very seriously.

[Chris]

Dan, I also agree that Connolly is in a much stronger position than either Periello or Nye, mostly because he has years of electoral experience within the 11th CD. He's a known quantity that has won before.

The reason Herrity has to be careful is because I think he could lose some of the base in this primary with Fimian. Republicans have tried running without the base before. Ask Jeannmarie how that worked for her?

And the base back then is nothing like it is now, its larger and its issues are different. Social issues have taken somewhat of a backseat to a more aggressive reform-minded fiscal conservatism and Fimian is hitting that theme hard. Herrity having a kick-off at a country club doesn't help his standing with that type of voter that he absolutely needs to win.

[Dan]

I have to say I enjoy the "squishy moderate" vs "real conservative" stuff. Nothing like a good hunt for heretics. Be sure to sharpen the tines on the pitchforks and ready the torches.

I believe quite a few members of the modern Republican Party would call Barry Goldwater a liberal. It has gotten that nutty.

Thank you.

[Dan]

Chris, you are spot on with your analysis that Nye and Perriello have tougher re-election campaigns than Connolly. I think Nye is your best opportunity for a pickup in Virginia.

Many would put Periello at the top of the list because of the closeness of the race in 2008. I think Periello will survive though. He is a quality guy and that does make a difference with a lot of voters. There are far too many nimrods in Congress from both parties. I hope Perriello keeps his seat because we need more human beings up there. I also believe that the Republican nomination fight in the 5th will help him. It is becoming a real zoo. And one of the tea people may even break off and run as an independent.

[Dan]

I don't think your fears about a primary are well founded. A hard fought primary doesn't have to be nasty. Or damaging. And the contest in the 11th is definitely not the circus in the 5th.

The first Congressional campaign I ever worked in involved a contested primary. The more liberal candidate had been the nominee two years before in 1974. My guy beat him in the primary in 1976 and went on to unseat a 14 year Republican incumbent. There were some bitter feelings from the primary, but their people came on board and helped in the fall. I respected them for that and never forgot it when I was on the losing end of a primary fight.

The thing you want to remember if your guy Fimian wins the primary is that it is the responsibility of the winner to reach out to the loser. No matter what hard feelings they may display.

The problem you will have, I believe, is getting the right wingers on board if Herrity wins. The right wingers seem to be more in the Fimian camp. And the right wingers have been being fed a steady diet of idiocy that tells them anyone who doesn't stake out the same extreme views they hold on every issue is evil and unpatriotic and wants to destroy America. Quite a few of them actually believe that nonsense. Hard to believe anyone could be that soft in the head. But some of them obviously are.

That may be your biggest challenge.

[B Adams]

I think Dan really nailed Herrity with that Tom Davis Puppet master piece. The gift that keeps on giving. Tom would likely approve of the country club gig. The food is probably better.

[Chris]

B Adams, every single year Tom ran for reelection he did it out of the Annandale Fire House, even when it wasn't in his district anymore.

[Dan]

B. Adams, you would have to be pretty obtuse to miss that I was mocking Fimian supporters who endlessly repeat the Tom Davis as puppet master line. It is lame. It is stupid. It does not resonate with the voters in the 11th CD who elected and repeatedly re-elected Davis because they thought he was a pretty good Congressman. And it makes Fimian seem like a foolish person with nothing to say or no affirmative reasons why he is worthy of support. Hence the endless stream of truly dumb stuff like that.

As I said before, the Fimian campaign has no business accusing anyone else of being tone deaf. They seem to be in the 99th percentile of tone deaf.

I understand why Chris respects the guy for stepping up in a difficult year for Republicans like 2008. He deserves credit for that. But supporters who are not clueless must cringe at the lameness of the messaging of the campaign. And if the blog comments are coordinated they are truly a mess.

[Dan]

VA Blogger, it isn't just repetition. If you TYPE IT IN ALL CAPS that makes it ring true.

The whole "real conservative" thing is kinda like two guys running for office and each claiming to be tougher on crime. The first one says he favors the death penalty for jaywalking and the second one has to go one better so he claims he will execute jaywalkers TWICE! They just keep getting more and more ludicrous trying to one up each other.

That is how you get to the point where the RNC was recently seriously considering a resolution to establish a litmus test for candidates that both Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater would have failed. The crazy is in full bloom. And if you don't play you are accused of being a "liberal".

The crazy is far from being over yet. Good luck with that.

[BurkeCTR GOPer]

VABlogger and Dan,

I know of a good hourly hotel in Fairfax City you two should check into.

[Dan]

BurkeCTR GOPer, how old are you anyway? That is the best you can do?

I'm not sure what to make of your candid admission about your familiarity with motels in Fairfax that charge by the hour. But I have little interest in learning what you do in those places or with whom you do it.

If you would take that dick out of your mouth you might be able to read more clearly. You might then realize that VA Blogger and I don't support the same candidate. He wants to see Herrity win the nomination and I am rooting for Fimian. For quite different reasons, of course.

[VA Blogger]

I've made two comments in this thread, and neither was directed at Dan or piggy-backing off of his. But whatever.