Who’s Contacting Me? – Special UI Edition
Apologies to Jason for stealing his title. Jason330 has an ongoing series on the campaign literature he’s receiving but I’d like to talk about signs. I’m hesitant to do this after making fun of Ron Williams’s drive around his neighborhood and Harry Themal’s concern that people stopped on the interstate. I’m hoping I’m performing a public service here.
In my district, we have a Democratic primary to replace Bill Oberle in the Delaware state House. Two people are running – Kay Wilde Gallogly (the party endorsed candidate) and Ed Osienski (the labor endorsed candidate). Both candidates have signs up and IMO they are perfect examples of DO and DON’T. First Kay Gallogly’s sign:
Ed Osienski’s sign:
I do this not to pick on Kay, but her signs are terrible. You can’t read them until you get close to them and even then it’s still hard to read the name. I know that “yard signs don’t vote” but with two brand-new candidates, name recognition is important. Ed’s sign is much clearer and you can read his last name quite well.
My husband, Free Radical, would like to give extra-special kudos to Chris Coons for his advertising strategy. Chris Coons for Senate ads popped up when he was listening to Pandora internet radio.
When he checked on Christian stations, he saw ads for home schooling. Nothing for O’Donnell, Castle, Rollins or Urquhart.
Tags: Election 2010, Primary
God, those are awful signs. Whose bleeping idea was that design?
Like the idea of Chris Coons going after the Motorhead vote, though. If there is such a thing as the Motorhead vote.
Chris Coons for Senate ads popped up on all the death metal music Free Radical was listening to. He also has screen shots from Danzig & Mercyful Fate with Coons for Senate ads.
I think my pic of Kay’s sign does not capture how awful it really is. You can actually read it. You can’t read anything on her sign from a car, you have to get quite close to it.
What does everyone think of this trend for female candidates to emphasize their first name rather than their last name? I see “Vote Kay” and “Keep Velda.”
Myabe it is a trend carried on from Hillary. She did it to distance herself from boner-boy. M-Roll has her first and last name up.
My sign advice (FWIW) – make your name BIG. Don’t put too much extra info. Use bright contrasting colors. No graphics.
Don’t forget the worst of ’em all: “Ruth Ann!”
FWIW, I don’t like the trend. Kinda reminds me of Tom Waits’ line about why he doesn’t respond to fan mail: “Don’t want to create a false sense of intimacy.”
Along with being able to read the signs, the message needs to be clear. And we always have a spate of sign stealing the closer we get to the election. Over the weekend, all of Richard Korn’s signs along Route 1 between Lewes and Dewey Beach went missing and, surprisingly (not), Ken Matlusky signs appeared in their place. It’s petty and it’s a crime.
Dear fellow liberals,
Kay’s signs are a sad mistake by a first-time candidate. It happens. So here you are as a candidate, sticking your neck out and totally exposed. You’ve been knocking on doors since January, walking miles and miles, talking to voters, putting your entire life into the campaign and then, wham, you make a mistake and folks think it’s a good idea to climb all over you for it.
Osienski’s campaign has some serious, old-time, Delaware Way politicians on-board and they got the sign bit right. One would hope so with folks like Mark Brainard guiding Ed.
I hope Kay doesn’t see this. She doesn’t need gratuitous criticism over something that can’t be remedied at this point.
Think before you type. If you want to criticize be certain there is a “fix” to go along with it. If not, hush! The Republicans can do enough damage without us demoralizing our own candidates.
No one is “climbing all over” Kay. I think she’s a good candidate. I’ve gotten 4 good mailers from her in the last couple of weeks. Like I said, signs don’t vote but I’m just pointing out that her signs suck. It’s a lesson for all potential candidates. Kay’s a grown-up who can take a little criticism.
My fix for her if she goes to the general is to get different signs. I know it’s a big expense but in her case I think it’s worth it.
The fix is “get better signs for 2012, when you primary Rep. Osienski.”
Auntie Dem: Thanks for letting us know what fucktard Mark Brainard is up to.
If Kay can’t take this criticism, she shouldn’t be a legislator!
I thought the criticism was fairly mild myself.
AQC, Look, I never said Kay couldn’t take the criticism, I said I hoped she wouldn’t see it. We’re getting down to the wire. Emotions are raw and everyone has been working like crazy on both sides of all of these primaries.
UI it’s a valid criticism. I was simply asking for a little compassion for a candidate who can’t do anything to correct this problem. Candidates are people too and their morale can be hurt.
Some candidates have serious problems. This one is pretty minor in the overall scheme of things.
Um, Auntie Dem – why should any candidate get compassion for screwing up something as simple as making legible signs? UI’s criticism is fair. You want us to censor ourselves because your candidate’s feelings might get hurt 1 week before the primary. FAIL!
If a candidate needs to be sheltered from constructive criticism, I don’t think they’re suited for office. And when I say that, I’m not challenging the candidate’s suitability, but the representation of her as a delicate china teacup.
As UI pointed out, if the signs are fixed, it could help her in the general. So AD should hope that Kay’s attention is brought to it, and not the opposite.
And progressives are supposed to have empathy. GACK!
Free Radical, I have no problem with the critique. My problem is the timing. Clearly I’m losing on this one. Over and out.
You lost it, AD, because your comments were a huge FAIL. This isn’t some bombshell that your candidate no longer beats her husband or kicks the dog, it was a simple, even-handed critique that you and/or her couldn’t handle.
No, I see AD’s point – it’s a week before the primary and there’s nothing that can be done about the signs right now (in time for the primary anyway) so it’s just one headache for a candidate to avoid.
I’ll bet what happened was that the signs were ordered from an internet provider and probably looked great on the computer screen & then not so much when they arrived. (Hint to future sign orderers – look at the amount of white space on the sign as well when you order)
Oh well, live and learn. Like I said, I think the criticism is mild and relatively unimportant in the large scheme of things. I think it’s probably important for Kay to hear it eventually (especially if she wins the primary).
Thank you UI. Waves a white-gloved hand.
MJ,
MY candidate, whoever that might be, had nothing to do with my post here. It was meant as a plea for ALL the candidates who have worked hard, made enormous sacrifices, and might appreciate a little slack over things that can’t be changed at this stage in the race.
U.I.,
One thing this might prove. If Kay Wilde Gallogly wins the primary, we can say definitively that signs don’t vote.
Another wave.
Auntie Dem: Thanks for letting us know what fucktard Mark Brainard is up to.
*
heh
Good intel
If Mark Brainard is there, then Tom Sharp and Tony DeLuca (and maybe Lonnie George) are there.
Well, I had hoped this thread would have been taken in the spirit it was intended – light-hearted and a distraction from the endless Castle-O’Donnell race. Funny how things don’t turn out as you expect. *sigh*
Aww U.I.,
I didn’t mean to be ungracious my dear. It’s been a long campaign season and we’re all pretty tired. And it starts all over again next Wednesday, but at least we’ll be fighting the bad guys and not each other.
“sigh” indeed.