Blogger complains to FEC about Ewert.

1. The most vocal Cumberland County Democrats are certainly an interesting lot. Some of the points raised by the Cumberland bloggers seem valid, if marginal, but it is difficult to weed them out from the vitriol.

   It would seem that the non-stop barrage of indignation tells us as much about the state of the Cumberland County Democrats as it does Bern Ewert. If Bern Ewert shows signs of some self inflicted wounds, the dismal voter turnout and even more dismal Democrat performance in Cumberland shows us that the local leadership is no stranger to these kinds of mistakes.

   Both candidates offer differing ideas on a range of issues important to Democrats. The competition of those ideas is an opportunity for Democrats offer themselves as the party for progressive change and to expand its base.

   The notion that Democrats should tear themselves up before the Republicans get the chance, as one leading Cumberland Democrat postioned, leaves many Democrats wondering just what is going on in Cumberland?

   It is good that the Cumberland activists have found the internet. We can only hope that they turn their energy to party building and, perhaps, a County Committee web site some time before the next election.

2. Yes, we have found the Internet in Cumberland County, Greg. Interesting that you do not refute even one of the posts I’ve put on my site–you only attack our committee’s lack of a website.

   On the flip-side, are you saying that the other county committees who do not have a website haven’t found the web yet? I’m referring to Bedford City, Bedford County, Brunswick County, Campbell County, Charlotte County, Greene County, Halifax County, Henry County, Lunenberg County, the City of Martinsville, Mecklenberg County, Pittsylvania County and Prince Edward County.

   More often than not, county committees do not have a website or at least one linked to the district website. So be careful what kind of comments you throw around, since you leave a lot open to conjecture.

   Thanks, Waldo, for the sideblog. I’ve posted about your generosity on my own site.

3. Lisa,

   Perhaps you should read my post again. My criticism was that some Cumberland Dems had a demonstrated ability to create a web site, conduct a pointed, acerbic and public campaign against a Democratic candidate, had dismal voter and Democratic performance in their area AND has no County Committee web site.

   As far as I know, that makes Cumberland unique.

   Now I can fully understand that you may not like what I am saying, I doubt that I would like that coming at me. Let me suggest that you take issue with what I say that you disagree with and not your extrapolation of what I said. That would be more honest and I know that counts with you.

   My point was that your points don’t make much sense (to me), if your purpose is to help elect Democrats and to help grow the party. To me, Common Sense also counts.

   Your comment that I should be “careful what kind of comments you throw around” had me rolling on the floor! Now I know you have a great sense of humor! I will take your suggestion to heart and if I have any other suggestions, I’ll email my fellow Democrats in Cumberland directly.

   Finally, if you would like to set up a web site for the Cumberland Committee, I’d be happy to help you guys out. Something along the lines of the Danville web site (off of the 5thcdDems.org web site) could be set up within an hour of getting copy and graphics..and all for free! Just email the Webmaster link on the 5thCD web site and we can get you rolling.

4. From my blog entry thanking Waldo for his sideblog:

   “..Our chair has also been playing around on the Internet since 1993–before it ever became the World Wide Web as we know it now. He has worked on several websites, including some locally. As a computer literacy instructor, I am far from a newbie as well. When it comes to a county committee website, we’ve talked about it. But right now a couple of us are planning to do an Anti-Virgil website instead. Another chance to put those research skills to use. [I’m sure if I was using them against Virgil when Bern was the only Democratic candidate, there wouldn’t be any problem with what I was doing.] We’ll focus our energies on that site and then work on a county one later. It’s not like we’re the only committee without a website…”

   But of course, I forgot the most compelling part–we are vocal and are daring to point out the gaping holes in a Democrat’s record. Acerbic? To cause mental pain? Admitting publicly that you’ve mislead people, failed to answer direct questions, hidden components of your record to make it appear more favorable, did not tell the truth about FEC filings, and felt questions from a prospective constituent were not important enough to answer are all a good tonic for that, you know.

   But Bern was testy from the very beginning because he didn’t like my question in Danville or the fact that I knew Explore Park was more than one sentence on a resume. I told him then I had major concerns with his record and he blew it all off as unimportant. Is he suffering from self-inflicted wounds or the same self-righteous indignation he gets whenever anyone doesn’t agree with him? There’s plenty of information around to support that scenario.

   As far as “dismal voter and Democratic performance”: The person who is our current chair was in charge of coordinating our committee to work in each precinct last year and was himself the precinct captain at districts 4 and 5. While we have the smallest population in the 5th CD, neither our total voter turnout percentage in last fall’s General Election nor our percentages voting for the Democratic candidates was the lowest in the district. Danville, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenberg, Pittsylvania and Prince Edward turned out a lower total voter percentage, while Appomattox, Bedford County, Campbell, Charlotte, Greene, Mecklenberg, and Pittsylvania had lower Democratic vote percentages than we did. Several of us worked very hard last year to elect Tim Kaine in this county. Unfortunately, our Republican opposition was also working hard and this is a primarily Republican county.

   Yes, Greg, I also think common sense is very important. That’s why not using it when planning and running a Democratic political campaign is such a travesty (according to Answers.com: an exaggerated or grotesque imitation). There are Democrats and then there are those who say they are Democrats, but use the same strategies, tactics, and misdirection as those Republicans we are trying to replace.

   I don’t feel I have honest representation in Washington right now–and based on what I’ve seen so far, currently I don’t think your boss is much better. While a leopard can’t really change his spots, Bern can admit his mistakes publicly to the voters in the 5th District and then we can all move on. That’s my goal—honest political candidates. In my opinion, I don’t think we have enough of them and the problems go all the way up from the local government officials through the state party and beyond.

5. Lisa,

   You should really not pass hearsay or assumptions off as facts – thats not honest or ethical. I did create Bern’s web site for him but passed that to his paid staff. I no longer am the webmaster and I’m not involved with the campaign doing anything else. Finally, I was never paid for the work I did.

   I stand by what I said. I don’t think you help Democrats with your smears. On that note, we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

6. Bern made his own bed on this one. He said on Feb. 1st that he’d filed with the FEC. Nobody made him do that. Whether he was lying, or just didn’t know what it meant to file with the FEC, nobody put those words in his mouth. If we go around hiding truths just because they’re inconvenient, we’re just republican-lite. Give me a candidate with nothing to hide — the truth will always be on his team.

   That said I think this issue has run its course. The complaint was warranted, it was filed, now let’s go talk about more important things.

7. I apologize for still thinking you were associated with the Ewert for Congress site. When I sent email to the campaign at the end of February, your name was part of the mailto link. That was the only way I knew you were even associated with the website at the time. Since I got no reply, I never utilized the link again and were not aware you had turned your responsibilities over to paid staffers.

   As for donating the web creation and webmaster services, I feel that is very generous of you. I am not aware of how much that is worth, but I will be interested in how it is listed as an in-kind contribution.

   As for the rest of it, you’re right–we’ll never agree.

   Thanks for the discourse.

Comments are closed.