Tagged: 2010

Never breaking stride, Malloy makes candidacy official.

One week ago today, Dan Malloy officially became a candidate for Governor.
Video:


Malloy continued his torrid pace of appearances, appearing on WFSB’s Face the State, answering questions from panelists Daniela Altimari of The Hartford Courant, Ted Mann of The Day, and host Dennis House.
Video (thanks to ctblogger):


Malloy’s Sunday appearances included a conversation with Connecticut Newsmakers host Tom Monahan.
Video (thanks again to ctblogger):


There’s more after the jump…
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Linda McMahon

There is a lot in the press about Linda McMahon the last couple days. McMahon’s campaign has, relative to what one can meaningfully spend on a statewide political campaign in Connecticut (about five million dollars will do the job, and its maybe eight million dollars tops), an unlimited amount of money. Her fortune comes from the family business, the very definition of stage-managed storytelling media companies, World Wrestling Entertainment. People tend to go with what they know and, sure enough, McMahon’s pursuit of the Senate seat vacated by Chris Dodd is a tightly controlled marketing campaign, with the star act’s every move – and everything in her vicinity – meticulously attended to by her handlers.

But McMahon and her campaign are not escaping scrutiny. From the cutting edge of online local media right here in Connecticut, to the original innovator that brought us the 24-hour news cycle, Linda2010 is generating controversy.

Start with the local: Valley Independent Sentinel reporter Joe Cole attempted to ask McMahon a coupla questions at a public appearance in Seymour last week, and McMahon “press wrangler” Suzan Bibisi reportedly shut it down. The campaign followed up with a boiler-plate email response to the reporter’s question; followed by a ham-handed attempt to intimidate the local guys with a press release, quoted in a report by veteran investigative journalist Paul Bass of the New Haven Independent:

“Valley Independent Sentinel Report Involved in Head-On Collision with Reality, the Facts,” the release’s headline read.
“The Valley Independent Sentinel’s claim is demonstrably false, contradicted by scores of interviews Linda has given, including more than a dozen hour-long interviews with reporters and editorial boards nationally and in Connecticut,” the release stated, listing selected interviews her campaign has arranged.

The skinny: Gilded Senate Campaign – 0, Gritty Local Reporters – 2.

Then, CNN‘s Anderson Cooper 360 launched its new series on campaign spending – Cost of Entry – with an expose’ on none other than Linda McMahon. Have a peek:


The, uh, money quote:

The Center for Responsive Politics says 40 out of 51 Congressional candidates that spent half a million dollars or more on their 2008 campaigns lost, or quit. Proof, perhaps, that even the richest person in the world needs a message voters believe, not just a good act.

Meanwhile, note that former CT02 Congressman and contender for the GOP nomination Rob Simmons got some nice “earned media” in the CNN piece.
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Malloy v Lamont in Killingly: Paying for Special Education

The question:
“25% of the educational budget in Killingly is directed to 13% of students because of special education mandates. How will you save regular education in Connecticut?” Dan Malloy and Ned Lamont respond, Tuesday, 23 February 2010.


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Crow on the menu.

Yes, yes, yes.

I’ll take mine with salsa and that delicious humble pie with coffee.

Senator McKinney has in fact declared his intention to seek re-election to the state senate, throwing the door open to anybody who wants to take a stab at Fairfield County’s Congressional seat. And that means anybody.

More likely suspects include State Senator Dan Debicella, who is clearly interested in something other than a supporting role in the hopelessly outnumbered Republican State Senate caucus, and he’s got the “right” kinda cred to gain support from the Washington power structure of the GOP (there is some speculation that McKinney’s moderate Republican didn’t play well with the “C” streeters, et al). Then of course there is Debicella’s peer from Greenwich L. Scott Franz. And how about Mayor Moccia?

But if the Republicans really want to take a run at Himes, they may want to take a look at this guy. He’s an out-of-the-box prospect who could cut into Himes in his Bridgeport base.

Without something unexpected, Himes is looking like a pretty good bet for next year. Continue reading →

Malloy posts $144,135 for Q2

Text of Dan Malloy’s Exploratory Committee’s press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2009

MALLOY RAISES $144,135 IN SECOND QUARTER
Brings Exploratory Committee Total to $272,210

STAMFORD, CT – Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy, who is exploring a run for Governor in 2010, today announced that he raised $144,135 from April 1 to June 30 for his exploratory committee, as indicated in the second quarter fundraising report his committee will file today. Since forming his exploratory committee on February 3rd, Malloy has raised a total of $272,210.

In this quarter, Malloy received contributions from 659 individuals, for a total of 1140 contributors since his committee was formed earlier this year.

“I’m gratified and energized by this outpouring of financial support as I continue to explore a run for Governor. Over the past two quarters, our fundraising has been consistent, steady, and successful,” said Malloy. “It’s very encouraging to have exceeded our goals for this quarter in terms of both contributors and total dollars, it is a signal that the new campaign finance system is achieving its intended goal – to engage people across the state in the electoral process and put the selection of candidates for office in their hands.”

Since forming his exploratory committee in February, Malloy has been visiting communities and Democratic town committees (62 to date) across the state to speak with Connecticut residents about the unprecedented challenges currently facing the state, and to share his ideas for putting Connecticut back on track. Malloy has been outspoken and pointed in his substantive criticisms of Gov. Rell’s “inexplicable” actions on health care and inaction on the state budget; he’s also drawn attention for taking clear, firm positions on the death penalty and workers’ rights.

“In the coming weeks and months I’ll continue traveling the state and having discussions with Connecticut residents, many of whom are clearly looking for a new kind of leadership in Hartford,” continued Malloy. “Although we’re a diverse state, there’s one thing just about everyone agrees on: Connecticut is in a crisis, and we need a clear plan to get us through these trying times, and to put us on track for a better future.”
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Dinner & drinks at FCJ says McKinney is GOP’s nominee for CT04.

In my previous post I mention that State Senator John McKinney of Fairfield is the GOP’s presumptive nominee to take on freshman Democratic Congressman Jim Himes in CT04 next year; Turfie admonishes in the comments therewith that it is not a done deal.

I throw down a wager with Turfie here: dinner & drinks at Fat Cat Joe’s says I’m right, McKinney shall be the GOP nominee in CT04.

What say you, Turfgrrl?

In the interregnum, who shall persuasively argue for any other contender for that slot? Continue reading →

Lieberman and Dodd kiss and make up.

Just when the pundits thought it was over for Chris Dodd, Joe Lieberman rides to the rescue. Excerpt:

Lieberman’s embrace of Dodd is the latest indication that the once-icy relationship between the Independent senator and the Democratic Party is beginning to thaw. Lieberman’s endorsement of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for president last year, coupled with his speech at the Republican National Convention last summer, infuriated Senate Democrats and nearly cost him his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. …

“The 2006 election was a terribly awkward time,” Dodd told The Hill. “We’ve been great friends for 40 years, so this was one of those moments when two people who had had a great relationship ran into a very awkward moment. He had to do what he had to do, and I was sort of stuck with what I had to do … But we just have a longstanding, deep friendship that goes beyond collegiality.”

During the 2006 campaign, Dodd was quoted saying his decision to back Lamont was “very difficult.” …

Today, Lieberman’s support denies the GOP the opportunity to drive a wedge between Dodd and Lieberman and feed a scenario that could split the vote against Dodd. It was just such a scenario that eventually defeated Lamont in the 2006 general election — he won 40 percent of the vote, compared to 10 percent for Republican nominee Alan Schlesinger and 50 percent for Lieberman. …

Simmons did not respond to a request for comment, and another possible opponent, CNBC host Larry Kudlow, would not comment, according to a CNBC spokeswoman.

A senior GOP Senate aide pointed out that it remains to be seen whether Lieberman will show enthusiasm for helping Dodd, such as by cutting advertisements or appearing with Dodd on the campaign trail.

Bit of GOP wishful thinking there at the end, and its interesting that Caligiuri isn’t on The Hill reporter’s screen.

This isn’t such a surprise. To the dismay of Lieberhaters, and the consternation of Democrats in general, Dodd was a member of President Obama’s whip team supporting Lieberman’s retention as Chairman of the upper chamber’s Homeland Security Committee a few months ago. Without it, Lieberman would have been relegated to back-bencher status and probably made an early and ignominious exit from the Senate.

That decision by the new President and Connecticut’s senior Senator has already paid some measurable dividends on the Administration’s policy agenda. Now it may prove to be a meaningful factor in stabilizing Dodd’s flagging political popularity.

We shall see.

Source: J. Taylor Rushing, “Frenemies Dodd and Lieberman make nice” The Hill 11 March 2009. Continue reading →