I'm revising down both my insta-grades:
Rossi B+: He really was good last night, absolutely blistering Gregoire with out being abrasive in the first 10 minutes. He owns her on any talk of the budget, deficit, and spending. He also firmly established himself as the change candidate. I think, however, that a number of his family anecdotes make better speech material (or town hall answers) than debate responses. She jumped on them solidly when she could rebut, which did not help Rossi's cause.
Gregoire C: Objectively she is very good at staying on message and has a talking point for every question scenario. The downside is she was a woman relentlessly on the attack, and she looked like it. Coupled with her repeated fist gesturing, she's abrasive. Plus, her vision for Washington state appears nonexistent in the face of everything negative she has to say about Rossi. Lastly, her George W. Bush references are approaching parody status after how often she used them last night (even after Rossi landed a haymaker on her by making fun of them).
Now, a Republican friend emails me this:
The RGA's next ad should be this:In a live TV debate, when Christine Gregoire was asked if she would raise taxes to make up for the $3.2 billion deficit she's spent us in to, she said, "Now is not the time to talk about raising taxes." Really? When is the right time? In 2004 she promised not to raise taxes, but that was the first campaign promise she broke. If we want Olympia to change, we have to change Olympia. Vote Dino Rossi.77 words. 30 seconds. Gregoire practically wrote it for them.
Works for me. And it would probably be better than their current crop of spots, which are neither impressive nor well-suited for Washington state's political culture - even as their main topic remains a rich source for hitting Gregoire as an independent group should.
UPDATE: typo and formatting fixed...more coffee next time before an early morning post on the weekend.
Posted by Eric Earling at September 21, 2008 06:38 AM | Email This
Ad opens to show a senior citizen couple sitting together on their front porch. Laying on the porch next to them is a tired old bloodhound that can barely keep his eyes open.
Cut to medium shot of man.
Man: "Our current governor, Christine Gregoire, doesn't think that after four years of reckless spending that we have a $3.2 billion dollar shortfall..."
Cut to close up of sleeping dog that opens one eye and goes back to sleep.
"... just like my dog, Fred."
Cut to man on porch.
Man: "Christine Gregoire has done nothing to repair the crumbling infrastructure like the Alaskan Way Viaduct..."
Cut to close up of sleeping dog that yawns and goes back to sleep.
"... just like my dog, Fred"
Cut to medium shot of woman on front porch.
Woman: "Governor Gregoire has done nothing to keep convicted sex offenders from being released back into our communities, only to reoffend..."
Cut to close up of dog scratching behind ear then going back to sleep (can't be bothered).
"... just like my dog, Fred."
Cut to medium shot of man & woman on porch.
Man: "The thing is, our dog Fred isn't running for reelection like Christine Gregoire. It's time for a change in Olympia. It's time for accountability..."
Woman: "It's time for Dino Rossi for Governor."
Dog hops up, tail wagging. Man and woman pet dog.
Posted by: Smoley on September 21, 2008 08:54 AMIt's time to take the gloves off. While running against a woman and not wanting to seem like a bully is a difficult tightrope to walk -- her confrontational personality makes it somewhat easier. Perhaps saying, "With all due respect, here's what you REALLY did... OVER and OVER and OVER again.
Gregoire did a great job of staying on her message and NEVER got rattled. Dino needs to rattle her and make her look as uncertain as he did over the environmental questions, because she clearly owns the environmental issues. Dino needs to get familiar with and use more "Green lingo" when discussing these questions. Also touching on green collar jobs seems like a natural fit with his economic expertise, and takes the issue partially away from her. Dino also needed to explain the issue of Hydro not being considered "renewable" power in a way that resonates with the lowest common denominator of voters. He glossed over it, when he could have hung it around her neck like a rock.
His transportation plan needs to be MUCH clearer. She won that in my view. Maybe a better way to present this is to respond to her charges of "paving over everything" with "She wants to force you out of your car. That's their REAL long term liberal-socialist goal. While mass transit is effective for some people, it isn't for everyone. We want to offer you choices that fit your life, lifestyle, and financial needs. She only offers you the choice of which bus you or train you get to take." Dino also needs to make the fact his transportation plan is based on her numbers and confront her with WHY it hasn't been implemented. He touched on it, but with no accountability from her for the lack of action. He should also take the page out of the PSRC's Vision 2040 about tolling all arterials, as well as some city streets, and hang that on her. Put her on the defensive with it.
I also though Dino's attire was surprisingly weak. He is usually a snappy dresser and wears clothes well. The dark suit was right, but the blue shirt and yellow tie were weak. He should have had a white shirt and red or blue "TV tie." He red suit was extremely strong.
Dino also looked at the moderators more than the camera (read, directly into the eyes of the voters) when answering the questions. She looked right at the camera (voters) on every single answer.
Her gestures were strong and forceful. Dino's spread hands and shoulder shrugs appeared weak and indecisive.
Dino let her off the hook about the sex offenders and crime. Good points on the police endorsements, but she made the case about reducing crime several times. Dino needed to call her on that and he needs to own this issue the way he does the economy.
On the education questions, Dino needs to call for accountability. Why, after spending 56% of the entire budget on education, can't our kids read and write? What are we getting for our money? The point about the WASL was good, but more needed to made of the issue about the delay of implementing the math and science requirements. Tie her to the law-breaking teachers union. Why didn't she order striking teachers back to work in Bellevue? Because she doesn't want to anger her biggest financial supporters, the teachers union -- the same group that funded the very first attack ads.?
Why nothing about the tribes and the $140 million?
Dino owns the economic issues, but he needs to put her in a defensive, "It's not IF she's going to raise your taxes, but when." Her comment about this not being a good time to talk about raising taxes was an opening you could drive a truck through, and he let her slide on it.
She claims she inherited a $2.2 billion deficit from Rossi and used it to give the impression that she solved a deficit of that magnitude. Dino needs to addres this straight out, and POLITELY call her a liar . Then set the record straight, especially about taking a billion dollars from education and taking healthcare away from poor kids. "Either the incumbent is misinformed, or is intentionally misleading you. Here's what REALLY happened. And is hiring an additional 6000 government employees really the way to solve this problem?" He also needs to do a better job of explaining "Olympia cuts."
Just my constructive criticism. Hope there's something in there he can use for next time, because if she wins again, we're all F----ked.
Posted by: Local Political Junkie on September 21, 2008 09:18 AMI really believe he was caught off-guard by the tone Christine took; the next debate will be the most telling.
And he's missing the perfect line: "Christine took over a $2.3 billion dollar deficit and turned it into a $3.2 billion dollar deficit. That's not fiscal responsibility we can believe in."
I love this crap.
Posted by: Ryan on September 21, 2008 09:20 AMI didn't watch all of it (phone calls from non politically interested people), but I did not gaun confidence in her leadership, or that she had any plans for the future.
Transportation plan - after the election.
Taxes? - Now isn't the time to talk about it.
But she sure had enough time to talk about Bush.
Anything goes right, she takes the credit.
Anything goes wrong and it's always someone else's fault.
Poor character trait.
Posted by: SouthernRoots on September 21, 2008 09:22 AMExcellent points!
Posted by: The Pirate on September 21, 2008 09:26 AMNow there's talk about bailing out *foreign* banks who deal with the US! The federal government and its cronies are trying to force us into subsidizing the very white collar criminals who stole from us! Did someone just say "tax revolt," or did I hear "alter or abolish." The owners and executives of the private bank called the Federal Reserve clearly want to "own" our country and turn us into serfs; they constitute an organized criminal enterprise under RICO; they must be arrested and their assets, e.g., the national debt, forfeited. Yes, blood still nourishes the tree of liberty.
Posted by: The Pirate on September 21, 2008 09:51 AMI voted for Rossi in 04 because I felt she had not been a good AG and her campaign seemed feckless.
I oppose Rossi in 08 because of his allegiance to the Radical Religious Right. Still, I have been very disappointed in Gregoire as a leader (and still am).
BUT
last night was a big surprise. In 04 he was a FAR better debater than she. Last night the leaf had turned. He was about waht he was 4 years ago but she has matured abd showed a level of confidence I had not expected.
I still am a pessimist and fear a Rossi win, but I will now actually contribute dollars to the governor.
Posted by: SeattleJew on September 21, 2008 10:27 AMGregoire came after him like an attorney on crack. She doesn't have a record to stand on and that's why she'll spend her time attacking.
After thinking about it more- Rossi may have been smart to rope-a-dope in this round- no one was watching and he forced her out into the open about a lot of lies. Nailing her on billion dollar cut was a good rebuttal- and well done comparing Olympia to a grade school child.
Our laws specifically state in Article IX, Section 2: "The Legislature shall provide for a general and uniform system of public
schools..."
6. Once the Legislature has established what is considered to be 100% funding of basic education needs, it cannot reduce that funding level due to state revenue problems.
Gregoires comments leaves me to deduce that either Gregoire does not know the basics for financing education in our state (probably the case given the budget disaster she has created) or she does know and this is another one of her lies.
Jim Vaughn
Blue Dog Democrat
Below is portion of a speach that I gave to the Democratic Party at the 25th LD Meeting. Here is the real Gregoire from a Democrat.
Hello, I am Jim Vaughn, I am a former US Army Major and a candidate for US Representative. I am a no-nonsense, Blue Dog conservative democrat that has been compared to Scoop Jackson. Blue Dogs are dedicated to a core set of beliefs that transcend partisan politics, including a deep commitment to the financial stability and national security of the United States. Given the limited amount of time, I am going to focus on the economy.
We have a huge budget deficit, a recession in full bloom and now an enormous trade deficit. When the depths of this recession become a reality and we receive fewer dollars from the federal government, the standard answer in our state to fix a problem has been to raise or create new taxes. But this not the answer. We need to run our government like a business. We must hold government agencies accountable for expenditures and accurate reporting.
In regards to accurate reporting, I have concerns when our governor claims that Washington State is one of the five best states to do business in according to Forbes Magazine. My campaign contacted the author Kurt Badenhausen, at Forbes Magazine and questioned the rating in light of the B&O Tax. Kurt replied, "Thank you for the insights on the B&O tax issue. He went on to say that WA scores poorly in their rating of states on taxes..." In addition, the Olympia Business Watch this past May stated: We are the 14th highest state for business taxes in FY 2007. So much for accurate reporting.
I am also concerned that when the Senate Ways & Means Committee came out with its $2.4 billion deficit projection, Christine Gregoire's budget chief, Victor Moore, said "I'm not giving any credence to that number," Moore said his office will come out with its own projection later. Again, so much for accurate reporting. These are serious times and we need leaders to acknowledge the situation and provide real solutions.
An article in today's Seattle Times states that Gov. Christine Gregoire says higher taxes are "absolutely" a last resort in her plans for balancing the state budget. But if any new taxes are needed, she says they should go to voters for approval. I say it's about time.
Currently, the residents of Washington State are paying over 50 different types of taxes, the latest being the internet tax and our state continues to focus on creating new taxes. This past March, the Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on two income tax proposals. Given the governors inaccurate reporting and past tax happy term, I do not trust or nor do I believe her.
Now let's talk about "tax expenditures" -- loopholes and subsidies -- extended to individual companies and entire sectors which have cut a huge hole in the state revenue base, which is replenished with largely regressive taxes on those least able to pay. For example the B&O Tax where Boeing pays under $3K for $1m in sales and a small business owner like me pays $15K.
I am also disgusted when I read in the Seattle PI that the Indian tribes' payoff $650,000 to the state Democratic party, and $49,000 directly to Gov. Chris Gregoire, in return for Gregoire's 2005 killing of a gambling compact which could have brought more than $140 million in annual revenues to the state. The compact Gregoire renegotiated with the Spokane tribe brings no revenue to the state. Obviously the our governor is not concerned about being fiscally conservative because $140 M is a great start on paying down the $2.5 B Deficit.
I am angered at politicians that are more concerned about getting money from special interests rather than representing the voters. Casinos are not people. Corporations are not people. Special interest groups are not people. Yet the governor gives away our tax dollars for her own political gain. An incident, which took place on Thursday, December 16, 1773, which sparked the American Revolution and remains to this day one of the most iconic events of the era. This event is known as the Boston Tea Party. History is repeating itself and the citizens of our state are faced with taxation without representation.
Not only are we taxed to death in this state, we continually see or tax dollars wasted. For example, why are we paying TransCore $18.7 million dollars to collect the tolls on the Narrows Bridge, when we pay people on L&I, Welfare and Unemployment to sit at home? This is one of hundreds of examples of fiscal irresponsibility that I can cite.
Btw, as I was driving into Seattle this morning and about to take the Montlake exit,a car passed me with the words "Fu_k Bush" on the window. I "get" that this is uber-liberal Seattle where the notion of a conservative christian president makes these people go vampire on us. But even as I disagree vehemently with the Marxism and anti-white religion that Obama has "clung" to for 20 years, you COULDN'T PAY ME to drive around with a "Fu-k Obama" message on my car. It's beyond vile. And I wondered how does a person get to the point where they're willing to debase themselves by putting such obscenity on their own car 24/7? It's beyond many of us.
Posted by: Michele on September 21, 2008 02:29 PMRossi: when a girl signs up for your opponents wrestling team, you have a duty to pin her. If she runs out to the hall and cries, it's HER problem.
Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on September 21, 2008 02:36 PMI missed the debate but I didn't need to see it to know we need to get Gregoire out of Olympia. She never belonged there in the first place.
You need to point out that Gregorie actually inherited Gary Locke's deficit. Not yours.
Deficits don't belong to any one legislator. They belong to all, or a party, or to a governor.
You were set up by a bi-partisan legislature to try and fix his mistakes and overspending.
No matter who wins, since a ton of state money comes from the 1.6% tax on home real estate sales, the politcos better revise their revenue predictions downward.
Posted by: keb on September 21, 2008 03:07 PMFour years of her is four years TOO long!
Posted by: gs on September 21, 2008 03:08 PMmulti-Bush-Legacy references smacked of Darcy & made me sad; too tired; that means lazy prep & no REAL solutions or creativity for debate;
too much focus on "what I inherited budget"; that means victim, victim, victim; not LEADER, leader, leader; hey--I'm trusting you guys & you have to prove why I can---
nothing to knock me off my seat; I was looking for sparks; and--i would have at least listened even tho I know my vote; too bad; wasted oppor.
Dino seemed more down to earth like a neighbor--that's good--passive? maybe--yes--as I now look back; a little too much on personal stories; we don't care; too schmoozy; we all have great stories & great relatives;
I'm not hiring your realtives; it's YOU taking my $$ & controlling my life; I want to know how you will use power best for all of us in WA;
Dino slant--no "hunger;" no stick the lance in the bull's neck at the end of the bullfight; his dress--ok. i was looking for content--dress on either seemed ok but irrelevant unless it's too kooky or "Broadway Seattle;"
my 2 cents...
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on September 21, 2008 03:41 PMThe numbers that Dino Rossi is using comes from proposed budgets of Christine Gregiore. Salmon culverts, roads, etc. Infrastructure estimates are based on HER numbers.
If you don't trust Dino's numbers, then start with the source of your concern: Gregoire. Dino's got no visibility inside the system (heck, no one does other than the former attorney general and her staff) to validate the numbers.
So go ahead and assail his numbers, but you need to look at his source - Gregoire - and really focus your ire there.
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on September 21, 2008 04:19 PM Not to long after the 2004 elections I
was talking to the radio equalizer himself Brian Maloney.
He was of the belief that Dino and his campaign didn't go after
Gregoire hard enough. Now I know
Dino was probably concerned that
he would come off looking bad to
a lot of the women voters.However it did't help him that much last time. This race will be won or lost due to the women vote. (King county notwithstanding) Dino has to take the gloves off and really let Gregoire have this time. If he does he will win.
If a voter is going to cast a vote based on taxes and/or spending they are casting it for Rossi. They've already made up their minds and no amount of glove removal on this or any similar issue will win more of them to his side.
Many of us who are politically active and have strong opinions won't see much from either candidate the next five weeks that will excite us, I'm sad to say.
They will be focussing entirely on those very few undecided voters, mostly independent women.
Haven't seen the debate yet. But I can say that I'm quite certain that "taking off the gloves" won't win those fence-sitting female voters. Drawing in Chris Gregoire to look like a witch with a capital B is a really good strategy to turn these voters off to her and to Dino.
Posted by: Chad Minnick on September 21, 2008 06:13 PMThe budget is important but it's sort of abstract. It's not something women have to deal with or think of on a daily basis.
Posted by: Paula on September 21, 2008 07:05 PM Would you please tell.me who the
radical religious right is Dino
has tide himself to? Because you see if anything he is more
aligned with the Mainstream republicans of Washington state.
I can assure they are not in any
way shape or form religious radicals. So please tell us all who you are speaking of.
So, making Gregoire out the be a witch with a B helps her, it doesn't hurt her. The hope is that Gino is appealing none-the-less.
Posted by: BananaLand on September 21, 2008 08:39 PMThe more she tries to appeal to those women in Seattle who like witches with a captial B, the more she turns off men in the 'burbs.
Then again, you can't change who you are, and if that's how she comes across then that's how she comes across.
The thing to remember is that Dino actually won more votes four years ago. And this year is not shaping up with the same political environment as 2004.
I still think taxes are a good message for Dino with those undecided voters. And the trust issue that Eric mentions in the post that started this string. Gregoire promises to not raise taxes...just like she did four years ago.
How else will she balance a $3.2 billion hole in the budget? Is she really going to veto the Senate and House Democrats' massive tax and spend budget next year?
Posted by: Chad Minnick on September 22, 2008 12:23 AM