Decision 2006

VT-$en: PWN3D

Posted by on February 23, 2006 at 11:40 PM

It's only fitting that the candidate hoping to purchase a U.$. $enate seat in Vermont with $10 million dollars of his personal fortune found himself "owned" in a public debate over campaign finance.

Republican gazillionaire Richard Tarrant asked Independent candidate Bernie Sanders to stand with him against third-party advertising in the upcoming U.S. Senate election. A cynic might believe that Tarrant's overture had something to do with the ridiculous amout of his own personal fortune he intends to spend in the race ...

But Sanders, to his credit, accepted anyway and basically says, since we are all about holding Vermont up as a national example, why don't we put spending caps on our campaigns? And I'll tell ya what, since my name ID is a bit higher than yours, and I already hold a statewide office, I'll even agree to let you spend 20% more than I will in the campaign. And oh yeah, no negative ads... and if you gotta go negative, we'll agree to talk directly into the camera, no hiding behind manipulated photos and digitally remastered audio tracks. And while we're at it, let's take our case directly to the people a bit more often; how about a debate in each and every one of Vermont's counties between now and election day?

Tarrant... wait for it ... hold on... refused. His campaign manager called the counter offer by Sanders an "incumbent protection plan." Never mind the Senate seat is open. Looks like the early cynics might have been correct.

As an aside, Sanders landed one of my personal favorite writers for his campaign blog ... making it a daily must-read.

Comments (2) «

Honorable Howard Dean,

I believe the Democratic Party has a lot to learn from Bernie Sanders here. With the upcoming 2006 elections it should be the policy of the Democratic Party both nationally and locally to shun the kind of negative ads that have turned America cynical to politics. His advertisement rules should be the moral high ground for all Democrats to aspire to because the public has heard enough of Democrats "bashing" the opposition party (no matter how much they deserve it). If people perceive us as negative and idealess, then we have a few months to turn it around. Take every playbook that has failed us and burn them. We must be positive, we must be inspirational, we must remind people what their country can do for them and that the government under the Democratic Party is a force for good. We'll let the press releases about the Republicans' corruption speak for themselves. They're shooting themselves in their feet for all to see. Let them make fools of themselves while we present a positive alternative to the people such as they've never seen before!

1
Babylon1023 on February 24, 2006 at 09:20 AM

I guess that leaves only Republicans that don't tell the truth and that want to be first with the SwiftBoat tactics? Even the independents believe like the Democrats. Have a good plan to manage your district and it will follow the people will support you. It should be mandintory that all candidates will take a course on how to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. No graft, no stealing, cheating or part of a story? If the Republicans were honest and moral like Democrats
then Democrats would win everytime.

2
freeforall on February 24, 2006 at 04:35 PM


« Hide Comments

Comments are now closed for this entry.