National GOP to reality TV candidate: Act like Franken
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 8:45 am
- 6 Comments
The National Republican Congressional Committee told Wisconsin congressional candidate and former reality television actor Sean Duffy that he could take a page from Sen. Al Franken’s campaign playbook. Duffy starred on MTV’s The Real World: Boston in 1997 and married Rachel Campos of The Real World: San Francisco after the couple met on MTV’s Road Rules: All Stars in 1998. But as Franken did, Duffy should focus not on celebrity but on policy in his race to fill the seat of retiring Democratic Rep. David Obey; his likely opponent is Democratic state Sen. Julie Lassa.
Politico reports that “the NRCC credits Franken for bringing in national political advisers who helped him focus on policy – a move that ultimately convinced voters and the media that he was a serious candidate.”
Duffy told Politico, “This is a race that is based on ideas and vision and that’s why I have traction; that’s why our campaign has been so successful. To think that a reality TV show for 15 years could breed success in a congressional race in northern Wisconsin, you should do something other than be a political pundit.”
“I’ve stayed on message of fiscal responsibility that comes from job creation and not from spending,” he said.
While the national GOP sees a positive example in Franken, the Minnesota GOP has a different take.
“At the height of Barack Obama’s popularity, Al Franken managed to muster only 42 percent of the vote and arrived in the Senate by the skin of his lawyers’ teeth,” said Republican Party chair Tony Sutton last week. “One year later, it is clear that Franken has learned little during his time in the Senate.”
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Comment posted July 14, 2010 @ 11:56 am
I just moved to Wisconsin, and I am so giddy. I can vote for a guy who “starred on MTV’s The Real World: Boston in 1997 and married Rachel Campos of The Real World: San Francisco after the couple met on MTV’s Road Rules: All Stars in 1998.”
But wait. The Republican Party of Minnesota says Franken has been a failure. Isn’t it too dangerous to vote for a television personality even if they say they have ideas? Guess I’ll have to vote for Julie, wouldn’t want to make the same mistake.
Comment posted July 14, 2010 @ 12:51 pm
Hey Dennis, you know that pic is a fake, right?
http://mediamatters.org/research/200905040004
Comment posted July 14, 2010 @ 3:34 pm
“Al Franken managed to muster only 42 percent of the vote and arrived in the Senate by the skin of his lawyers’ teeth,” said Republican Party chair Tony Sutton last week.
The more Norm Coleman tried to litigate his way into the Senate, the further behind he fell. I guess Coleman’s lawyers were as toothless as his case. At least the Minnesota GOP got to rob us of half our Senate representation for several months. Their overweening sense of political entitlement has to go, along with their contempt for democracy.
“One year later, it is clear that Franken has learned little during his time in the Senate.”
He learned when to bark and when to shut up, which is a lot more than most republicans have ever learned.
Comment posted July 14, 2010 @ 4:41 pm
The Repub’s should prop up Richard Heene after he’s out of jail for the “Balloon Hoax” .. Really?? Is the Pre-Requisite for being a “Bagger” that you HAVE to be a douche-bag too?? Oh wait.. Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann , Scott Brown, Rand Paul, Tom Emmer… Never mind I just answered my own question…
Comment posted July 15, 2010 @ 3:35 pm
The weird thing about faking the Franken photo is that he was a comedian. He was on TV. There are lots of pictures of him looking silly. I guess they wanted something recent since no one is going to be impressed by a bizarre pose in 1977.
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