Someone Clearly Isn’t Paying Attention
Via Jazz Shaw over at TMV, what Carly Fiorina said on Meet the Press about the subject of Phil Gramm’s recent statements about the behavior of Americans. Or American leaders; take your pick. (Quote may be slightly paraphrased):
“I don’t think Americans are paying attention to what’s being said by campaign surrogates. They’re paying attention to what’s being said by the candidates themselves.”
Excuse me while I go laugh myself silly in the corner.
Gee, I don’t know Carly. Somebody was paying a whole lot of attention to Wesley Clark a couple weeks ago. Tons of people chastised Bill Clinton over his statements during Hillary’s run. Heck, even your guy McCain has had to distance himself from the likes of Rod Parsley and John Hagee.
Maybe the point you wanted to get across was that surrogates shouldn’t be taken as the mouthpieces of the candidates. In an ideal world, that’d be nice, but that’s not how it currently goes down. In a time when even the candidate’s pets have to be kept quiet – since too loud a bark or meow could indicate something important about their owners! – saying something like that is just kind of stupid.
A reality check is in order.
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Well, since republicans are never out of touch with people, can never be partisans with radical policies and never are reflected poorly upon by their personal allegiances they never have to "throw people under the bus" anyway, so no worries.
I believe both candidates are/have struggled with the statements of surrogates, allies, friends etc. Its the unfortunate consequence of the 24/7/365 coverage of the "horse race". I’m sure there will be more surrogate incidents. Not a lot of "light" but much "heat".
And as an aside I would expect a candidate surrogate to say what Ms. Fiorina said (and I’d expect a similar response from an Obama surrogate). Always put a "happy face" on a bad situation.