Latest Comments
ND News Feed
Calendar of Events
**************Eating Liberally -- The 4th Thursday of each month -- Valentino's, 1443 42nd St Sw, Fargo, ND -- 6:00 p.m.
This is a time to get together and eat and talk , just time for our friends. There is no format, dues, agenda etc., We can meet anytime or place we decide, picnic pot luck, local food, anything we want to, even invite speakers. But for now please show up, eat and talk to like minded friends. No need to RSVP just stop by and eat. email Trana if you like.
************
Anybody got anything that's interesting for me?
Links Worth Reading
ND Newspapers
ND Outdoors Sites
| FishingBuddy |
| NoDakOutdoors |
50 State Blogroll
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Featured Link
Krugman & Rolling Stone
Login Form
Support NorthDecoder
Search This Site
Feature Stories
| Personal |
| The Low Road |
ND Blogs (leftish)
ND Blogs (apolitical)
Regional Blogs (leftish)
ND Blogs (rightish)
| FreeRepublicans |
| Meartz's Lake |
| Too Much Dog Hair |
| Conserv. Harvest |
| Boyd Drive Follies |
| Matt's Blog |
Amazon Search
| Waiting for Macaca |
 |
 |
 |
| Written by Chad | |||||||||||||||
| Sunday, 12 February 2012 19:47 | |||||||||||||||
|
UPDATED Some of the Bismarck area legislative districts' Democratic-NPL organizations held their reorganization meetings on Saturday morning at the library. There was a good crowd. One guy got a special introduction from Senator Ryan Taylor, a Democratic candidate for the governor's office this year. This fellow -- identified as "Corben James Alley" (he's on the right, with the camera monopod) -- got a friendly introduction from Senator Taylor.
See... the state-of-the-art in partisan politics is the "tracker" model. We haven't had a lot of "trackers" in North Dakota historically, so I thought I'd write a post introducing them -- and him -- to y'all. Remember a few years ago when "the sure thing" incumbent Senator George Allen lost his reelection bid in Virginia because of a racial slur he threw at a guy in the audience at a rally? Allen, a racist, called the young man "macaca" and Allen was (and the rest is) history. Allen lost the 2006 race to Jim Webb and many attributed the loss to his racist "macaca" statement. Imagine how many "macaca" moments happen at Republican rallies around the United States during every election cycle. They happen all the time at Republican events, but there's rarely anybody in the audience with a video camera who's willing to let "the other side" use it. Well... that's not so true anymore. Today's political campaigns -- and especially the NDGOP's candidates' campaigns, with the millions of dollars flowing in from out-of-state Republican billionaires hell-bent on buying North Dakota -- have the big bucks available to hire "trackers" to follow Democratic candidates around hoping to catch a "macaca" moment. (You'd think they were afraid they might have a reason to fear Democrats in 2012 or something.) That's where this guy -- Corben Alley -- comes in to the scene. He's a partisan Republican operative who follows North Dakota Democrats around, hoping to catch them in a "macaca" moment. I think that's Corben's girlfriend, next to him, too. I'm not sure whether she's also a Republican Party operative. And I don't know her name. She's clapping in the photo because Senator Taylor had just asked the audience to welcome Corben. And they did. Welcome to North Dakota, Corben. (He's apparently from the Isabel/Firesteel area of South Dakota.) It's nice to know Democrats are creating lots of jobs in North Dakota for guys like you. When you see Corben and his girlfriend at DemNPL functions chasing candidates around with their video cameras, be sure to give them a warm North Dakota welcome. And ask Corben if he knows which out-of-state oil billionaire is paying his salary.
Set as favorite
Bookmark
Email this
Comments (5)
Marty
said:
|
|
... I'm liking Ryan Taylor more each day. Not sure if he's the first to try to make a tracker feel welcomed, but I think it should become standard practice. For a lot of these kids, it is probably just a job; they aren't there to sabotage the candidate; they aren't responsible for how the Odneys of the world later manipulate the footage. They might not even be particularly partisan. They might feel self-conscious and a little dirty or ashamed (based on Dustin's comment) and we should do our best to let them know they don't have to feel that way. Life's too short to make someone feel bad about their minimum wage job. |
|
Chet
said:
|
Seriously... As you note, Martin, Ryan welcomed him warmly (note all the smiling faces in the photo) and I'm also very serious when I said Dems should welcome him when they see him. I agree that Corben shouldn't be picked on because he took that job (though I don't think it's a minimum wage job), but I also think it's important that we all (including Corben) acknowledge that it's a partisan job, regardless of whether anybody wants it not to be. Also, Dustin, I can think of two other political jobs that are "lamer" than Tracking. And though you say "both sides do it," I think this year is the first year it's been on the front burner in North Dakota (though some could argue that what Kate Bomberrito was doing at PlainsDaily was essentially the same thing). |
|
big jake
said:
|
... Thanks for this information, Chet. I was in attendance and must share with the readers here that this blog got high marks as it deserves. The Republican operative should be considered as a blessing. Virtually everything said there is important in the debate that we do not seem to have. For the first time in a long while, some basic elements of what should be considered as Democratic principles were openly stated. Better late than never. As critical as I have been regarding my take on the failure of the party to stand up for what they believe in, I have coupled that with my ideas/suggestions as to what to do. I know that I am not alone here. If we do just that, we will begin the climb back to being a political force. We did not get where we are overnight. I would love for the Republicans to spin what was said there on Saturday. What an opportunity. U.S. Senate candidate Tom Potter made as good a pitch for the absolute necessity for Unions as I have heard for some time, as an example of the potential emergence of the New Democrats. Come on tea baggers, I challenge any of you to take issue with what Potter stated. In an era where virtually every word is heard or vidioed, we need to put that to work for positive and contructive change. Of late, the nutty commentary about healthcare reform has resurfaced. Again, without any suggestion about how to fix the healthcare problem or even acknowledge that one exists. This is an issue that is the gift that keeps on giving----if we are up to the task of speaking what we believe---not milk toast but a firm committment to healthcare for all. Again, thanks Chet for the information. Maybe we should be considering what each of us can do right now to further an agenda of positive, constructive change. Our opposition has no rational arguments to offer. Unless surrendering our nation to a handful of special interests and an elite class is believed by us to be in our own or our nation's interest. It is time to do better. |
|
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|