The "lamest spin of the night award" definitely goes to the Brian Moran for Governor campaign, in the aftermath of their crushing 28-point loss to Terry McAuliffe (58%-30%, with Creigh Deeds far behind at 12%) in the Fairfax County straw poll. Quick, get your little violins out, because this is truly a tear jerker.First, even before the votes were taken, all I was hearing from the Moran people was how Terry McAuliffe was BUYING the straw poll. Of course, if Terry had LOST the straw poll, all we would have heard from the Moran campaign was how Terry had tried to BUY the straw poll but not managed to pull it off, and how lame that was. The fact is, these straw polls are, at least in part, tests of campaign organization and resources. Last I checked, those things matter in politics. Also, I'd point out that the Moran people weren't mentioning the tickets they bought and handed out to supporters when they WON the Mt. Vernon Mardi Gras straw poll a few weeks ago (McAuliffe didn't compete in that one). Hmmm. Finally, last I checked, you can have all the money in the world but if you don't have the supporters, it does you no good. Ask Senator Harris Miller or President Phil Gramm about how much good money does for you compared to actual passionate grassroots support by actual human beings. Terry McAuliffe clearly had that tonight; Brian Moran...uh, not so much.
Second, I actually heard the line from a Moran supporter that his supporters are mainly in Arlington and Alexandria and wouldn't want to drive out to Fairfax County on a Tuesday night. Wow, this is so lame I barely know where to begin. I mean, let's start with the fact that this is an implicit admission that Brian's a regional candidate, the region being Arlington County and Alexandria. By the way, according to Google Maps, it's about 9 miles from western Alexandria to the site of tonight's St. Patrick's Day straw poll in Fairfax. So, the Moran people are seriously arguing that their supporters weren't willing to drive 9 miles to support their candidate, yet their candidate is supposed to be THE grassroots candidate in this race? Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I clearly recall that in 2006, Jim Webb's PASSIONATE and DEDICATED supporters came out from Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax to help defeat Harris Miller at the same straw poll. Apparently, Brian Moran's supporters weren't as PASSIONATE and DEDICATED as we were in 2006 for Jim Webb. I mean, seriously, what were Brian Moran's supporters doing tonight that was so important, watching American Idol on TV? Speaking of American Idol, do they allow you to play a little violin on there? :)
P.S. I'd also point out that Brian Moran was endorsed by a slew of Fairfax County officials this morning, yet got crushed the very same evening in a straw poll in the very same county. How do they spin THAT one?!?
