It really seems like Dede Scozzafava can’t catch a break, huh? First, it looks like Lindsay Beyerstein caught Scozzafava talking out of both sides of her mouth about the card-check provision of the Employee Free Choice Act. Dave Weigel sums up:
In September, Scozzafava’s campaign claimed she opposed the “card check” provision of the Employee Free Choice Act. But at the same time, she told the AFL-CIO, in a candidate questionnaire, that she supported EFCA’s provision that “would require employers to honor their workers’ decision to join a union after a majority of them signed a union authorization card or petition.”
In an attempt to nail down exactly where the Janus-faced Scozzafava stands on the issue, Weekly Standard reporter John McCormack got a bit more than he bargained for. McCormack did succeed in finding out Scozzafava’s views on card check (she says she supports it – at least, today), but the candidate was remarkably unwilling to answer any other questions. McCormack’s persistence didn’t exactly pay off:
I spotted Scozzafava later as she was walking to the parking lot, and asked her: “Assemblywoman, do you believe that the health-care bill should exclude coverage for abortion?” She didn’t reply. I asked her twice more. Silence.
After she got into her car, I went to my car and fired up my laptop to report the evening’s events.
Minutes later a police car drove into the parking lot with its lights flashing. Officer Grolman informed me that she was called because “there was a little bit of an uncomfortable situation” and then took down my name, date of birth, and address.
“Maybe we do things a little differently here, but you know, persistence in that area, you scared the candidate a little bit,” Officer Grolman told me.
“[Scozzafava] got startled, that’s all,” Officer Grolman added. “It’s not like you’re in any trouble.”
Calling the cops on a reporter doesn’t seem like a winning move to begin with; getting into an intramural battle with a conservative publication seems even more foolhardy. Nonetheless, a Scozzafava flack emailed Politico to claim that McCormack “repeatedly screamed questions” at the candidate. Other attendees said that McCormack was “quiet” during the event, so who knows. A spokesman for Conservative Doug Hoffman’s campaign opined:
If any police investigation needs to take place, it should be of Dede Scozzafava, for impersonating a Republican.
Zing!
Meanwhile, the Scozzafava camp decided to continue its fued with the Weekly Standard, releasing an email exchange between McCormack and another Republican spokesman to TPM about whether Scozzafava would vote for John Boehner as speaker should she win election. (The Scozzafava guy just comes off as squirrely.) The attacks on McCormack prompted Weekly Standard honcho Bill Kristol to weigh in, branding the Scozzafava campaign “desperate.”
But really, this is all a minor nuisance (albeit one a struggling Republican campaign can ill afford). The real news for Dede is worse – much worse. The Club for Growth just announced a brand-new $300K moneybomb on ads attacking Scozzafava for (what else) being a “liberal.” At the same time, the SEIU just dropped $82K on mailers for Dem Bill Owens, and the D-Trip threw down $132 grand on media buys. This brings the DCCC’s total spending to $520K.
Meanwhile, former GOP Majority Leader Dick Armey will campaign for Hoffman, while Susan Collins and Florida Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (srsly?) will stump for Scozzafava. Owens is probably feeling a bit more stoked than the competition about the help he’s getting – tonight President Obama held a fundraiser for him in New York City.
And finally, all three candidates agreed to a one-hour debate on Oct. 29th, though it won’t be broadcast until Nov. 1st.
Wait…are NY-23 Republicans of the same moderate vein of the Maine GOP? And the Independents actually more conservative? If so, then perhaps Scozzafava really could hold on to most Republicans and just bleed a ton of Indies. And allow Owens to win pretty handily.
is from Upstate New York…I guess that’s why?
As a first-time candidate, I’m a bit concerned, and wonder if the late date is due to Owens’ campaign concerns.
per the link in your post: http://www.watertowndailytimes…
I guess that meany reporter upset his wife.
Can you say: not ready for prime time? Sheesh.
and crappy campaigns?
if you’re being harassed by someone works only when you’re a regular person. As someone seeking public office, you kinda have to deal with everyone from actual reporters to moronic idiots because, well, you’re a public person. Apparently Mrs. Scozzafava does not realize this.
to see where Scozzafava’s votes will go if she collapses.
Of course the New York Police would probably through her in jail for calling the cops too many times on reporters. Anyone think David Patterson could beat her.
I’ve heard a lot of conservatives say that the race that really says what is going to happen in 2010 is Virginia. I’ve heard a lot of democrats say that if we win 2 out of 3 then we’re going to have a hard time in 2010 but that it won’t be to bad. I think something else is true.
What these races show us is that candidate recruitment is crucial. That people are tired of both parties and esp. of incumbents. Something else it will tell us is the likely voter model for 2010… I think that whatever it is in VA and NJ is about what it will be in 2010 unless something changes. Everything else will probalby stay the same from 2009 to 2010 except possible more AA/Hispanic/and Young people will probably show up cuz Obama wil be campaigner and chief by then.
That all said I think the republicans have a better slate of candidates in the senate and the governors races.I’d argue we have the better house candidates. So it’ll be interesting to see how many governor’s mansions we are down from 28 and if we lose any ground in the senate. I’m hoping the tides change cuz I am rather enjoying being in the majority.
This race is in the bag, and I hate how Democrats figure that wasting money on it will some how be beneficial.
The results of her press confrence outside a Hoffman office:
http://washingtonindependent.c…
She “has to win the seat.”
http://washingtonindependent.c…
Is Owens taking advantage of this? I mean, it’s fun to sit back and laugh, but is he getting his own name out there, his own positive message, his own GOTV? If not, this split might not matter…