Here’s an idea: get Joe Kennedy to drop out of the race
[UPDATE: I got word from a commenter that Kennedy’s campaign manager, Dave Galusi, had written back to him that Kennedy is forbidden by law to drop out. Perhaps a better tack, then, would be to write to Galusi (dave@joekennedyforsenate.com) asking that Kennedy endorse Brown. E-mail to Kennedy himself is not getting through.]
Those of you who’ve been following the increasingly close Coakley vs. Brown special election in Massachusetts may not have heard there’s a third party candidate, an Independent libertarian named Joe Kennedy. He could be the spoiler in the race, drawing enough votes from Brown to allow Coakley to go to the Senate.
I’ve been mulling that one over, and I’ve come to the conclusion that flooding Kennedy’s office and email address with calls for him to drop out of the race wouldn’t be a bad thing. Not that he’s likely to do so, of course.
Third-party candidates tend to be purists who don’t think the perfect is the enemy of the good. But Kennedy got into this race when he didn’t see himself as a spoiler. Brown didn’t seem to have a chance back then, and Kennedy probably saw the campaign as a way to get his own message heard in a larger forum.
But now things have changed. And if there’s even a miniscule chance of getting Kennedy to withdraw, it’s worth a try.
Here’s the contact info. And here are some of the most important addresses and phone numbers:
Joe Kennedy: joe@joekennedyforsenate.com
His campaign manager Dave Galusi: dave@joekennedyforsenate.com
Press and events: Press & Events: 617.899.0846
Fund Raising: 907.250.5503
Address: Committee to Elect Joe Kennedy
P.O. Box 368
Needham Heights, MA 02494
Here’s Kennedy’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joe-Kennedy-For-Senate/141067507133
And Twitter: http://twitter.com/joek4Senate
[NOTE: And please spread the word. Volume is important.]
[ADDENDUM: And Queen Coakley shows her elitest bona fides by dissing Fenway and its fans.]
thank you so much for posting this! I’m a resident of Massachusetts and I know the state has a long tradition of running libertarian candidates — but he should be aware of the larger, national situation (re health care). Kennedy’s nutty statements during the most recent debate about American boots in Saudi Arabia as the reason terrorists are trying to kill Americans illustrates his naivete…though maybe not as nutty as Coakley flat out stating that the Taliban is not in Afghanistan anymore…
I found out about him last night. When I did I realized that Coakley has the election wrapped up.
The purists will vote for him and give her the majority.
It is amazing how many people will vote for someone who has no change on the theory that it is better for the opposition to win completely rather than they compromise.
And then wonder what happened…..
I was compelled by your message — and I just finished sending messages to convey this sincere request.
May God hear our prayers on behalf of those wanting to save our Republic from the Marxists.
I’m mildly curious as to how Mr. Kennedy came to run in this election. He splits Coakley’s opposition, and he’s a Kennedy–Joe Kennedy, no less–in Massachusetts. I wonder if someone bought him his candidacy, someone from the, um, Left side of the street.
Paranoid? Maybe. But not an unreasonable notion, nevertheless, is what I’m thinkin’.
Just sent my message. Short and polite.
I sent a message suggesting that he secure a public committment from Brown to support limited government, then to throw his support Brown’s way. I then pointed out that Coakley will certainly support expanded government.
I sent a message as well, along the lines of Bill West’s.
Good thinking, neo.
John McCormack of the Weekly Standard fell Tuesday night as he tried to speak with the Democrat while simultaneously videotaping her and trying to pass a metal grate on a Washington sidewalk.
Photos and video of the incident show Coakley aide Michael Meehan trying to help McCormack up.
Coakley is seen ignoring McCormack. The trip prompted criticism, since Coakley was in Washington seeking money from lobbyists while polls show a tightening race.
http://www.wggb.com/Global/story.asp?S=11814211&nav=menu1460_2
and cue the video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8CdfQGlgVw&feature=player_embedded
There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to… The Outer Limits.
I don’t know. Don’t you think there are enough robots in that state programmed to vote “Kennedy” to swing it the other way?
Neo:
Good suggestion. Done. F
I’m currently registered Libertarian. I also sent Brown a $50 donation.
I really should register Republican, which is what I’ve been most of my life. I’m one of the western foothill individualist “leave me alone” conservatives, and have usually been part of the libertarian wing of the Republican Party.
I switched to Libertarian when California allowed you to vote in the primary of other parties (I tend to vote in the R primary, and in the general vote R or vote L if the R is a complete turd).
I’d like to think the libertarians in MA will vote for Brown, knowing what’s at stake.
Charles,
I kinda figured that a Joe Kennedy in a party that sounds almost “liberal” would pull some Democrat votes. However, I also heard that the polling is not suggesting that.
Charles: I don’t think those folks are showing up for a special election.
Don: Most of the libertarians in Massachusetts may indeed vote for Brown. But some small percentage won’t. And it could be enough to matter in a close election.
Interesting idea, but I’m not sure it’s such a good strategy at this point. Even if JLK drops out, his name is still going to be on the ballot. Therefore, his dropping out is only going to affect the results to the extent the Brown campaign can publicize the fact that young Joe, the forgotten Kennedy, is quitting the race. For Brown to deflect a portion of his own media spotlight during the last few remaining days on the machinations of a minor candidate just doesn’t seem like a very good allocation of his resources.
Well I got an auto-reply from the Kennedy campaign saying they had been forced to shut down their email account because of the large volume of threats and insults they were receiving from Brown supporters. A candidate for the legislature who doesn’t want to hear from the people. Interesting concept. F
If Mr. Kennedy is any kind of Irishman, he will be attracted to the glory of the lost cause. In that vein I sent him an email entitled “Tilting at Windmills” in hopes he would see the bigger picture.
You gotta check this out ! I got an email from Harry Reid today. Dirty Harry’s hard at work
http://www.notsosilentthoughts.com/2010/01/fat-fin-chance-harry.html
I too sent a short and polite note to Joe Kennedy and got back a polite explanation within minutes from his campaign manager, Dave Galusi.
He explained that in effect Joe K. cannot drop out because by law the name stays on the ballot, no matter what. (He referenced the late Mel Carnahan winning a senate election from the grave.) His argument is that while Massachusetts democrats will never vote republican, a few will vote for Joe Kennedy out of protest or confusion, thereby in effect helping Brown.
So, dropping out is a moot point. I hope that his analysis holds. Mr. Galusi was incredibly gracious to respond so quickly to a complete email stranger.
gpc31: That’s interesting—although it’s too bad he can’t drop out.
He could, however, endorse Brown if he wanted to. Maybe you should e-mail Mr. Galusi back with that suggestion.
Neo-neocon: Yes, I followed up with that suggestion in my reply thanking him.
BTW, thank YOU for an exquisitely intelligent blog.
I too sent a short polite message and got an autoreply claiming Brown supporters are sending spam and threats. Really?
I don’t see how he hurts Brown at all, really. Brown’s support is pro-Brown more than anti-Coakley. He’s become a rock star. If anything, the splitters voting for Kennedy will be liberals who find Martha just too much the party hack but can’t bring themselves to actually push the dreaded R.
I still think a third party candidate screws things up. That’s how Clinton won the first time. He only had 34 – 38% of the popular vote, and won on it.
AUTO-REPLY
Dear Supporter, Unfortunately we have had to shut down this email address. We have been flooded by spam from Brown supporters including insults and threats of violence against me and my family. Please contact another campaign committee member with your request. We apologize for this inconvenience.
Joe Kennedy
In my opinion, the replies those of us e-mailing Kennedy’s campaign got accusing Brown supporters of making threats suggest even further that Kennedy is a purchased Democrat sock puppet. Nice tactic for splitting the opposition, fielding a Kennedy in Kennedy Land. Am I just being paranoid? It only works, though, if Brown runs a pretty low-profile campaign. That hope has gone by the boards now, though.