Schaffer Stays Silent

Saccone has a point

Schaffer is smart enough to know that when he opens his mouth, he won't be able to control what comes out. Apart from giving ProgressNow something to do, Schaffer's silence has only hurt him with certain localized single-issue constituencies, such as ranchers around Pinon Canyon.

But it also helps explain the complete lack of buzz or interest in Schaffer's candidacy. Dick Wadhams can run his old playbook of trying to make the election about Dick Wadhams, but at some point Bob's going to have to drag it together, get his ass off the bench and get in  the game.  

"At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid." - Nietzsche  

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by: twas brillig @ Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 20:41:14 PM UTC

I think this is hurting now

Because his name recognition outside his base is about zero. Once Udall starts pounding him, all of his name recognition will be wrapped up in the accusations.

I think he's toast regardless but this sure isn't helping his chances. Unless he's another BWB where everytime he opens his mouth he shoots himself in the foot.

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 21:21:26 PM UTC

I wouldn't write Schaffer off just yet David

Schaffer's name recognition isn't zero out side of his district-don't forget that he ran for the Senate before.

Sure, Schaffer has an up-hill fight against Udall, but I still think that it'll be close

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by: Haners @ Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 23:10:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Granted I live in Boulder

but I have yet to find anyone who knows who he is.

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 23:19:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Schaffer the Sphinx?

   Since the infamous Macaca episode in Wadhams' last race, the Dickster has probably started requiring each of his clients to sign an oath in blood never to open his or her mouth at any point during the campaign.

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by: One Queer Dude @ Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 21:44:53 PM UTC

Yikes!

That is one helluva point.


I knew a stripper named Skyler once.  --TaxCheatGeithner

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by: Skyler @ Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 01:21:03 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wadhams signed on for one reason

Dick Wadhams could have signed on much earlier to be campaign manager for Bob Schaffer. He signed on now because he knows that Schaffer has a great chance at winning.

Wadhams is really not that good. Just ask Senator Daschle, Senator Strickland and Governor Schoettler.  

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by: Mint Julep @ Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 22:24:12 PM UTC

also President Allen

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by: Steve Balboni @ Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 22:53:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

U.S. Senator Considine, too

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by: One Queer Dude @ Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 23:04:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

you make my point very well

A whole lot of big wins for Wadhams.

Considine came very close in 1992 and Wadhams has not lost in Colorado since than.

Schoettler had a huge lead in 1998 which Owens erased in a very Democratic year nationally. George Allen self destructed. I guess we can hold our breath and hope for a mistake by Schaffer.

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by: Mint Julep @ Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 23:12:12 PM UTC

Something is missing

"Suddenly, it may be cool to be American again" - William J. Kole

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by: Go Blue @ Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 00:20:15 AM UTC

Actually 1998 was a good Republican year

And Schoettler and Owens were pretty much dead even from Sept all the way to election day, that said I agree Wadhams and Schaffer are very much in this.

Udall is actually just as silent as Schaffer the guy is invisable for a sitting Congressman.

Why is Udall laying low?

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by: WashParkPoet @ Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 03:15:01 AM UTC

Has either ever been in a competitive race?

I don't know the history on Schaffer but Udall has had an incredibly safe seat forever. He could go vacation in Hawaii for the last 4 weeks of the election and still win.

We may have 2 candidates here who don't understand what they need to do to win a statewide competitive race. In that case, it's whoever learns faster.

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 03:28:00 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Udall, once........

   When he was first elected, Udall had a very tough general election race against a RINO named Bob Greenlee, the former mayor of Boulder.
  The closest thing Schaffer ever had to a competitive general election was when he lost to Gail Schoettler in the '94 Lt. Gov's race.  But in that case, his and Schoettler's fates were tied to whatever happened in the Benson vs. Romer gubernatorial race.

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by: One Queer Dude @ Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 22:48:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

P.S. I'm not sure I would call Schaffer's '94 statewide race "competitive"

   IIRC, Benson-Schaffer lost to Romer-Schoettler by a margin comparable to that by which Both Ways and Beastiality Rant Rowland lost to Ritter in '06.
  I mentioned his '94 run because it was the closest thing to a level playing field on which he's ever played.  
  His runs in C.D. 4 were blow-outs back in the late '90s.  It was only when Musty came along that C.D. 4 started to get competitive for the Dems!

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by: One Queer Dude @ Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 22:54:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Udfall had two tough races

One when he ran for the State House and also when he ran the first time for the 2nd CD when it used to be competitive. I think he won both by less than 1%.

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by: WashParkPoet @ Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 13:54:13 PM UTC

Udall had a tough primary and general

1998 was a great year for Democrats nationally as they gained a large number of seats in the House and a couple in the Senate. Udall had a very tough primary and general his first term but has not been targeted since.

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by: Lover of Irony @ Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 19:01:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

My bad typo "Udall"

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by: WashParkPoet @ Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 13:54:42 PM UTC