Great job by Teacherken as always, this time clearing up all the confusion and nonsense being spewed around about the results of Gerry Connolly's St. Patrick's Day straw poll the other day. Here are the key paragraphs, bolding added by me for emphasis:
...at least one gubernatorial campaign was not directly buying the tickets from campaign funds. Instead tickets were purchased by supporters on behalf of that campaign, and I suspect the same was true of other campaigns. At least one campaign purchased some tickets directly, but the number was limited enough hat the Federal limits were not approached.
Thus if people in Moran's campaign denied that the campaign was buying blocks of tickets, that was probably true. But that does not mean that arrangements were not mde for block purchases on their behalf. There were. As there were for both Deeds and McAuliffe.
Thus as far as I can determine, the accusation by some on behalf of Moran that McAuliffe was trying to buy the straw poll and they were not is false. The McAuliffe supporters may have bought more tickets than did the Moran supporters. That, folks, is evidence of a superior organization, at least for this event.
And remember, that in 2006 Connolly endorsed Miller (who also attended last night) but Webb won the straw poll.
I think some people are trying to be far too cute. Moran's people are correct in saying the campaign did not buy a block of tickets, but more than disingenuous in hurling accusations against the McAuliffe campaign when as far as I can determine both side were playing exactly the same game - as was the Deeds campaign.
Folks - let's be honest. It is fair to criticize one's opponent on policy where you disagree, to compare all aspects of prior records. It is worse than disingenuous, it is intellectually dishonest to accuse your opponent of something that (a) is not quite accurate (the McAuliffe campaign was not making bulk purchases using campaign funds); and (b) is in substance exactly what your campaign is doing - having supporters buy tickets on your behalf.
Brian Moran is too good a man and public servant for people in his campaign to be resorting to things such as this.
I have nothing more to add. Ken, you've said it all my friend! :)
