Read it from the perspective that Andy is a Dave Thompson advocate, you cannot miss that. But Siefert seems small, the people he chooses as his henchmen small too, hence, it seems Andy has hit the nail dead square on the head.
UPDATE: A quote, from a quote, of a quote - Crabgrass quoting Andy posting from what St. Cloud Times posted. [Andy gives links more often than not.]
“There’s state reps that have more money than [... Thompson's campaign raised], and I don’t know how you’re going to take Scott Honour out in a primary,” Seifert said. “As people want their endorsed candidate to be successful, they have to look at certain things, like name ID, resources and a statewide organization. And we have all three.”
One would hope that Siefert soon expands on the theme of why it's good for Minnesota to take Scott Honour out in a primary, and Andy, you could help on that score. The message will not resound without you endorsing it.
I think taking Scott Honour out in a primary is a "just fine" idea, even more, verrrrrry fine, but those voting that side of the primary ballot do not listen to me as much as to Andy. (A fact, whatever you make of it.)
As to Siefert's trifecta qualities in the SC Times quote, name recognition - but which way given what people like Andy remember to say; resources - other folks' money since Siefert is not particularly wealthy, and what are the other folks believing they are buying; and last, organization - sleazy folks, or upstanding good long-time Minnesota citizens? (You tell me, on point 3, comments on point always being welcome.)
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| Jon Seaton [photo credit here] |
Toxic waste, some might say, but those would be ones not liking Tim Pawlenty [doesn't he look like a Pawlenty person, in political arena affairs, at that banker coalition job, the kind of thing that attracts Pawlenty and vice versa].
Then, there is this, from Andy's perspective:
Before this blog I was a talk show junkie and would listen to them all, but Dave was my favorite. I remember listening to Dave on the old – good – AM 1500 talk station where he conveyed the very same conservative principles that I held dear no matter the party affiliation. Believe it or not he and I had a few battles on email about the merits of the Iraq war. He wasn’t sold on the idea. He railed on politicians of both parties for betraying the trust of the people that they will consider the Constitution as the governing document of the country. Some say that is a negative, I say that proves he is a real conservative.
Faith in talk radio, it's so great it yielded Emmer as well as Thompson. What can you say against that? Shouldn't there then be a host of GOP candidates with such credentials? Too few, for some minds, some viewpoints. Jason Lewis for Pres? It makes one so qualified for holding office.
Last, go back to that early Siefert quote from St. Cloud Times coverage, the ending "we." He is the candidate, and he is singular, not plural. Mark Twain said that the only people correctly using the editorial "we" are true royalty, pregnant women, and people with tape worms. Say goodnight, Marty.
FURTHER UPDATE: It would be interesting if Andy were to post about candidates relying on grassroots vs candidates who hire outside "political operative for a livelihood, will travel" campaign honchos. It would be an illuminating thing to see Andy write his ideas on that consideration. Endorsing use of key Bush-Rove teammates, all that. I wonder how Thompson found Seaton, or was it vice versa? Someone Michelle Benson knew, in her past life? Reader help via comments is welcome, on that question.
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Judging Seaton by the company he keeps, the clients he takes and touts as best and outstanding, this. Okay, a natural follow-up question to that report, has our state's GOPolitician Dave Thompson made his tax returns public? With Brunner being like Romney, Caribbean tax haven presence and all, and Seaton's ties to Bush-Rove campaigns, question the money. Always question the money transmutes to here, be sure to question, follow, and double check the money. That, aside from being swayed by talk radio.
Another question, with his legislative history and ties, how close is he to his employer's lobbyists?
You know, Andy, not me, should be the one keen to pin down such facts. Unless follow the money is irrelevant to him or the money trail there is keen-okay with Andy.
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Off point, wholly, but of interest nonetheless, given Seaton's track record with McCain and Pawlenty sequentially, with Bush-Rove work in between, do you expect he had a hand in the Palin choice, instead of it being our dear TP for second spot on the McCain election effort? Kevin Diaz' Strib reporting from April 2011 explained:
With Iowa apparently on his mind, Pawlenty announced today the addition of ex-John McCain advisor Jon Seaton as national political director for his presidential exploratory committee.
The move followed Monday’s debut of campaign manager Nick Ayers, former executive director of the Republican Governors Association.
Seaton, a veteran of the last two Republican presidential campaigns, currently runs East Meridian Strategies, a political consulting firm based in Alexandria, VA.
Most important for Pawlenty, who’s chances depend on a good showing in neighboring Iowa, Seaton ran McCain’s Iowa operation in 2007, managing staff, coalitions, surrogate activity and candidate travel while also serving as the state’s campaign spokesman.
In 2006, Seaton worked for President Bush as Associate Director for Political Affairs. In that position, he was the primary White House liaison to Pawlenty's re-election campaign, as well as to Republican campaigns and organizations in 10 other states, including Iowa.
The Pawlenty camp notes that Seaton’s White House job is not his only experience in Iowa, home of the nation's first caucuses. In October of 2004, the Bush re-election campaign transferred him to Iowa, where he spent the last three weeks of the campaign overseeing Election Day strategy and GOTV activities. Earlier in his career, he managed a Congressional campaign in western Iowa.
Given such a background, is working on Thompson's campaign a step down, slumming, for Seaton, and if so, why has no higher profile campaign latched onto him? Too expensive, or what?
Neither the McCain nor Pawlenty presidential hopes turned out all that well. Yet, other side of the coin, Pawlenty's got the banking cabal paycheck and McCain's stayed in the Senate with minority party seniority accumulating and accumulating, so each landed on his feet.
Presumably Thompson, unless elected, will be doing okay for himself too on the energy trading firm's payroll.