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In and outs of the political campaigns, focusing on Michigan and Lansing, Tim Skubick will report regularly throughout the primary and then general election campaigns.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Hi, I'm Virg Bernero

Virg Bernero lost because he pulled a "Blanchard."
Most folks will say it was the lack money. True but it goes deeper
than that.
When incumbent Governor Jim Blanchard took on challenger John
Engler, the Blanchard team was so fixated on "getting" Engler that the
savvy politician Mr. B. lost sight of one important element.
He never really looked the voters in the eyes and said, "Vote for
me because…"
Instead he spent most of his waking moments telling the voters not
to vote for Engler.
Ditto for Bernero.
He and his minions were so intent on bringing Snyder down with the
relentless attacks on his "jobs to China" and "mismanaging Gateway"
that the Lansing Mayor never stepped back and introduced himself to
the voters.
He had a great personal story to tell from his Italian immigrant
father to his impressive and successful career of public service.
Sure, he talked about that stuff but it never connected. Many Democrat
on Election Day were still asking themselves, "Who the heck is Virg
Bernero?"
No wonder so many D's stayed home.
It was anti-Snyder all the time just as it was anti-Engler all the
time when Mr. Blanchard ran.
Missing this critical point is someone's fault because it was out
there all the time.
If you talk to voters you will hear many say: "Don't give me a
reason to vote against somebody else, give me a reason to vote for you."
The Snyder squad knew that which is why they basically ignored
Bernero and banged away at who Snyder was and what he would do.
Trace his twenty point victory to that simple little fact.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Michigan Dim's need to run people that aren't Union,MEA, Trial Lawyer, Soro's,party fluffers. Gov. Granholm and Pres. Obama plus MI weak suck Unions and Mark "The Sewer" Brewer failures are the cause of a total Dim state wipeout. Was it worth dumping Andy Dillion overboard when Virg didn't carry his home base, the city of Lansing ?

November 5, 2010 at 4:02 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

He did carry Lansing with 60%. Perhaps you should spend more time looking at election data and less time misspelling your rant.

November 5, 2010 at 10:30 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We have just experienced some new in this State and largely across the entire Nation. Winning candidates said little to nothing, no positions, no platforms, no real debates or give and take in which people are informed not just on issues but demeanor as well, no details or even outlines of policies or philosophies, and no idea of who their teams would be (you asked that Skoop).

Also financing $100M of $140M was by 3rd parities focused also most entirely on dark sound byte messages with no apparent control by campaigns and candidates.

This was an election, it was a corporation ad splash. So, analysis of anything is tough. Sure Dems didn't vote, and Inds swung and GOP base did vote, but how does that reflect at all on local and state strategy? It's seems to be national noise and money gets all.

I fear more now, for our basic understanding and ability to conduct civil discourse or behave as the Democracy myself and my friends have been out there fighting for.

Sad day, hope Snyder does what he did at least say, act based on Michganders (hope that is the little guy, he didn't define it) and can blow to pieces our non-system in Lansing.

November 5, 2010 at 10:54 AM 
Anonymous Josh said...

Andy Dillon would've made the race competitive, but the climate just wasn't in the Dems. favor. George Washington couldn't have run as a Dem in this state and won.

It's amazing how things move in cycles. Obviously things were swinging towards the GOP, and it appears to be very hard (but not impossible) for someone to get elected after a governor of the same party has been in office for 8 or more years.

I'm concerned about third party ads, but I wouldn't say that the winning candidates said nothing. Snyder avoided debates, but he certainly had placed thorough position papers on his website. I read through ever one of them.

We'll find out pretty quickly whether or not he's competent.

November 5, 2010 at 8:32 PM 
Anonymous Josh said...

oh. And great post, Skoop. Bernero didn't connect with the voters. I considered him at the very end when he starting talking about his success in Lansing (balanced budgets, new jobs, etc.), but it was too little too late.

November 5, 2010 at 8:35 PM 

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