Does character really count in the world of politics?
When I was involved in managing political campaigns, smearing the reputation and defaming the character of the other candidates was never part of the process. Times have changed. Negative campaigns and smear tactics are common place now. And that’s because it works. Sad to say, it works best for the one who can smear the other one the most. Attack ads and dirty politics means victory for the candidate who can play the dirtiest. During my early years of political campaigning, the candidate’s party affiliation was never an issue. It was about the candidate. It was about their character and their vision. That too has changed. We now have voters who don’t pull a lever in favor of one candidate over another but whether or not they have a “D” or an “R” behind their name. So, does character really count?
The last campaign I helped manage was that of State Representative Jean Doerge. One of the Political Action Groups supporting her opponent released a television commercial that attacked her character by lying about her retirement benefits and her so called ‘real’ reasons for running. The poll results for her opponent, believe it or not, began to favor him. It was suggested that she fight back or lose the race. She and I had decided early on that we would not succumb to this method of campaigning. She did not want to win this way. If she couldn’t win on her character and her record, then so be it. That was a brave statement to make. With all the pressure to fight back from her supporters, she took the high road and against all odds, she won!
This coming week the character of the candidates running for her seat will be up for public scrutiny. And we have a choice. We can allow ourselves to be swayed by the Political Action Groups invading our homes through television or mail, or we can simply vote on the candidate on the basis of their approved message.
The Louisiana Committee for Republican Majority headed up by Senator David Vitter’s wife, Wendy , launched their “Operation Clean House” campaign in 2006. Their goal was to target the remaining Democratic seats left in the State and build Republican majorities at all levels of government. One of their first targets was Representative Jean Deorge’s seat. The LCRM produced and distributed the insulting piece of campaign trash that hit households in Webster Parish recently just in time for the first round of voting in the election for a new District 10 State Representative. Some voters were outraged. Others were influenced by it as the approval rating for the candidate they were supporting gained in the polls.
What concerns me about Wendy Vitter and her committee’s push for majority rule is that no matter what party affiliation you align yourself with, full control and any kind of majority rule is not healthy. I for one do not want an all-Republican state government nor an all-Democratic state government. (Remembering that:Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.)
The attack ads and the slandering messages against a particular candidate or movement won’t end this coming week. In fact, this is just the beginning. There will be a new wave of propaganda and manipulation coming our way on the national level. Get ready. I would like to caution everyone to beware of any message delivered by any political action group or Super Pac.
With congress’ overall approval rating less than 10%, I think it’s safe to say that it’s time we all woke up and did our own homework. Leaving the issues up to our elected officials to explain to us isn’t working. They’re not listening to us. They’re not listening because they don’t have to, especially after they get elected. You see they know what we all should know…and that is that 98% of all incumbents win. While those percentages have gone down slightly, the odds are still in their favor and we’re to blame.
When I was involved in managing political campaigns, smearing the reputation and defaming the character of the other candidates was never part of the process. Times have changed. Negative campaigns and smear tactics are common place now. And that’s because it works. Sad to say, it works best for the one who can smear the other one the most. Attack ads and dirty politics means victory for the candidate who can play the dirtiest. During my early years of political campaigning, the candidate’s party affiliation was never an issue. It was about the candidate. It was about their character and their vision. That too has changed. We now have voters who don’t pull a lever in favor of one candidate over another but whether or not they have a “D” or an “R” behind their name. So, does character really count?
The last campaign I helped manage was that of State Representative Jean Doerge. One of the Political Action Groups supporting her opponent released a television commercial that attacked her character by lying about her retirement benefits and her so called ‘real’ reasons for running. The poll results for her opponent, believe it or not, began to favor him. It was suggested that she fight back or lose the race. She and I had decided early on that we would not succumb to this method of campaigning. She did not want to win this way. If she couldn’t win on her character and her record, then so be it. That was a brave statement to make. With all the pressure to fight back from her supporters, she took the high road and against all odds, she won!
This coming week the character of the candidates running for her seat will be up for public scrutiny. And we have a choice. We can allow ourselves to be swayed by the Political Action Groups invading our homes through television or mail, or we can simply vote on the candidate on the basis of their approved message.
The Louisiana Committee for Republican Majority headed up by Senator David Vitter’s wife, Wendy , launched their “Operation Clean House” campaign in 2006. Their goal was to target the remaining Democratic seats left in the State and build Republican majorities at all levels of government. One of their first targets was Representative Jean Deorge’s seat. The LCRM produced and distributed the insulting piece of campaign trash that hit households in Webster Parish recently just in time for the first round of voting in the election for a new District 10 State Representative. Some voters were outraged. Others were influenced by it as the approval rating for the candidate they were supporting gained in the polls.
What concerns me about Wendy Vitter and her committee’s push for majority rule is that no matter what party affiliation you align yourself with, full control and any kind of majority rule is not healthy. I for one do not want an all-Republican state government nor an all-Democratic state government. (Remembering that:Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.)
The attack ads and the slandering messages against a particular candidate or movement won’t end this coming week. In fact, this is just the beginning. There will be a new wave of propaganda and manipulation coming our way on the national level. Get ready. I would like to caution everyone to beware of any message delivered by any political action group or Super Pac.
With congress’ overall approval rating less than 10%, I think it’s safe to say that it’s time we all woke up and did our own homework. Leaving the issues up to our elected officials to explain to us isn’t working. They’re not listening to us. They’re not listening because they don’t have to, especially after they get elected. You see they know what we all should know…and that is that 98% of all incumbents win. While those percentages have gone down slightly, the odds are still in their favor and we’re to blame.
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