The AP reports that Andy Card was in town yesterday, stumping for the utterly-beyond-hope Charlie Summers, who is faking an attempt for the 1st CD. Today Andy was on to the less fictional 2nd CD leg of his tour here in Blueberry Land, raising money in Bangor for Brian Hamel, who the RNCC hopes is competitive against Michael Michaud.
So, what's to smile about?
Its what Andy didn't campaign for. The campaign that we know will pull thousands of votes, and one we think may carry the 1st CD. Andy didn't campaign for a local property tax cap ballot initiative that is more likely to deliver the 1st CD, and possibly even the Balance of State, to his boss, than Charlie Summers and Brian Hamel, combined. Andy could have run the lower cost, touting tax cuts, federal and local, working the November turnout problem. Instead, he did a meet-n-greet with a handfull of R ones. What a dolt.
And that is what is to smile about. On the ground, a surrogate as important as the Chief of Staff, is wasted by the BC04 campaign. Instead, Andy let the local "coordinated campaign" collection of interests -- Charlie Summers' dream of winning the contested Republican primary and attempt a competitive general election campaign, when Tom Allen decides to run for Olympia Snowe's seat in the Senate and leaves an open seat in the 1st CD -- in 2006 -- override the BC04's interest -- some or all of Maine's electoral votes, in 2004. That's what to smile about. Up close, BCO4's ground-game consists of putting a stick in its own spokes and then pressing down hard on the pedals.
The second half of the smile is that Charlie Summers may not be competitive in two years time with someone who really works the Palesky campaign in the 1st CD. Even an unenrolled dogcatcher. From Saco.
Posted by EBW at August 20, 2004 10:35 PM | TrackBack