Scott McInnis Slams Beauprez's "High School Quarterbacks"

A candidate is his staff

That BB couldn't hire quality people to run his campaign, or wouldn't, says more about him than about the staff. And we don't know whether the staff is running him or he them.

If the campaign manager isn't strong enough to run the campaign, and the candidate is weak enough to run it himself—ala Gore, Kerry—we've got a problem Arvada.

Isn't it a bit late to shake up the staff, and wouldn't that be a fatal sign of weakness that would put BB even deeper in the hole?

So how does BB recover? Is there anything that can be done? The political environment is what it is, the candidate is a Repulsive Republican Radica without a platform and Ritter is bullet proof.

Maybe Bob should go have a beer with Pete Coors and let Bruce Bowen drive him home?

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by: Another skeptic @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 10:34:59 AM CDT

Too late

Is it possible for even the best campaign handlers to come in and work magic? Money has already been spent creating TV ads and mailers and BB's not fundraising well enough to afford the re-makes. Absentee ballots go out in a few short weeks. Anything the 527s could do would probably appear so desperate.

While I hate to make unequivocal declarations when it comes to politics, the continuing bumbling and bad news from the BB campaign makes it easy to say it's too late.

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by: ModerateGal @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 10:57:20 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Wish we could edit our posts

I meant Bruce Benson.

Out of sight out of mind.

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by: Another skeptic @ Sun Sep 17, 2006 at 17:47:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Scott McInnis - Endorsement or Not?

Scott McInnis just endorsed Beauprez a couple of days ago.

So, why would McInnis want to come out publicly and slam Beauprez' campaign, especially now when things are spiraling downward and out of control for Beauprez?

Wouldn't you think Beauprez desperately needs some support and praise by those willing to endorse him?

This surely doesn't bode well for Both Ways Bob, if a fellow Republican is so critical this late in the campaign.

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by: answermethis @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 11:06:28 AM CDT

Hmmm...

Couple the SOS "clarification of the rules" this week with a 12-yr Congressman saying that something needs to be done NOW --- and it seems to me it adds up to a "soon to be assembled vacancy committee" to see if Scott can't do a Hail Mary for the party.  I would agree with the above -- I'm not sure there is enough money in the state -- or time to turn the ship around -- to make this look like anything more than a desperate attempt.  It's my opinion this would make things worse, not better, for my party on election day. We better stay the course and pick up the pieces later.

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by: Stand Up Rural Colorado @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 11:35:23 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

replacement candidate will Coffman, not McGinnis

  And a POPULAR 12-year Congressman, at that!  McGinnis was the first potential replacement candidate to come to my mind back when the rumors, that the happless Both Ways was going to call to quit, began. 
  But I don't think McGinnis will actually do it for a few reasons.  Trying to choreograph a replacement candidate in mid-campaign is messy under the best of circumstances.  Second, these are definitely not the best of circumstances for the GOP. 
  Third, McGinnis has an independent streak that will not set well with "the Powers That Be" (i.e., Trailhead).  Finally, McGinnis is probably comfortable making lots of $$$ and won't give that up to take over trying to save the Titanic from hitting the iceberg. 
  My money is on Mike Coffman agreeing to come in as relief pitcher in the ninth inning......

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by: One Queer Dude @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 13:06:08 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Reality show candidates Both Ways Bob and Coffman trade places?

Curioser and curioser.

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by: porridge @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 13:27:23 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

maybe...

Scotty wasn't in a position to see exactly what was wrong with the campaign until he decided to give his endorsement.

At that point he'd be able to see first hand what was going wrong.  Up until then, he was most likely seen as an outsider.

I think his endorsement earlier in the week gives his complaints today even more credibility.

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by: roll the idiots @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 14:25:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Scooter

is a self-serving prick who left the third because he saw other "vistas in his future" and virtually handed his seat over to the Democrats.

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by: FrightWig @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 22:45:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I Agree

It was one thing to bring him on early as a "campaign coordinator' --- or whatever his title was over a year ago.  But to keep him in place for the final months was political suicide.  But not necessarily for the reason you believe.....

Bob has had a campaign going for well over a year now.  And as any business man will attest, there is such a thing as a 'Peter Principle'.  At some point, people just reach their full potential within a specific job/task and - to put it succinctly - run out of ideas. 

Marshall and his crew ran out of ideas back in June. 

And that's not to say they are politically incompetent (and they may be), but they clearly have 'petered out'.

The fix for this problem is not necessarily a firing squad.  Businesses will bring in fresh blood, a few management consultants (perhaps even temporarily), move staff around within an organization, re-train employees with crash-courses, and yes, sometimes terminate employment. 

But for Bob to not realize his people had run out of steam, out of ideas, and out of verve is just as bad as Marshall himself not recognizing he was hitting a mental wall. 

And let's not forget the people UNDER John (and I guess this woman Shari).  Yes, Marshall is their "boss", but ultimately, they work for their candidate.  And that's where their loyalty should, at the end of the day, lie.  For them to not take Bob aside and say "we have a problem", "we are losing support", "we are maxing out our volunteers", "we aren't reaching our fundraising goals", and "we quite frankly made a mistake and need to correct it" is just as bad.  It's called gross-incompetence and it seems to be systemic, and not just at the top of the totem pole. 

They have a chief fundraiser who has a background in communications.  Why in the world is she in charge of raising money?  They have a guy who has only run campaigns in CD-5.  Guess what? CD-5 isn't even close, demographically or politically, to the rest of the state. A college aged kid trying to wrangle volunteers when she can't even pronounce the last names of sitting legislators and GOP leaders.  I can go on and on here.....

But the point is this:  it's too late.  They can bring in all the help in the world, but they have no time to course-correct. A campaign is like a cruise ship:  ya gotta bank the turn hundreds of feet before the iceberg.  But we're 30 days out from the absentees hitting. So, to put it mildly, they can re-arrange the deck chairs all they want.  The ship ain't turning fast enough and the iceberg is dead ahead. 

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by: what?!? @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 11:31:00 AM CDT

it's over

Didnt some recent article say that they are relying on volunteers to do all of the ground work before the election? We outnumber them four to one outside debates and parades- and those arent as hard to get people out to as a precinct walk!

I have a good friend who used to help out the campaign, and he said he and his wife couldnt anymore because they were just so rude anytime they walked in the door, and never seemed to have any idea what they were doing. He told me he has heard a lot of similar stories. (I told him to go help a democrat, we would treat him well- but he declined).

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by: Bierstadt @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 12:27:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Who is in charge

This is a Shari Williams campaign. (Walcher before that)

John Marshall worked for her and has been positioned to take the fall.

Cinamon Watson raises money.

Rich Beeson helped raise money early.

Get your players in the correct parts please!!

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by: guesswho @ Mon Sep 18, 2006 at 14:08:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Well,

My CD-5 comment was referring to their political director, Chuck Broerman. Though now we also have the proverbial 'non-starter' Steve Truebner stepping up to the plate, too. Truebner is the same guy who ran Lionel Riverra's disastrous CD-5 primary. 

Now, in terms of the "same people" from his Congressional Campaign... those would be Shari, Allen Fuller, and the girl doing County Chairs.  Aside from those three staff members, everyone is is a 'newbie'. 

My players are always in the correct parts, thank you very much. 

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by: what?!? @ Mon Sep 18, 2006 at 15:20:58 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

A Whining McInnis

does absolutely nothing to help BWB's campaign at this point.  Unless BWB is planning to drop out and let McInnis take his place.  Many R's are wondering why McInnis didn't run in the primary himself.  To blame BWB's problems on his campaign staff is ridiculous.  And it shows McInnis' ignorance.  Beauprez, himself, has made very bad decisions which has led to his not being the choice of Colorado voters.  His support of Referendum A, his opposition to C, his admitting to being a chickenhawk, his poor voting record in Congress, his elk training nescience and the worst blunder of all, choosing a creationism-in-the-classroom, anti-separation of church and state, gay bashing bigot in Janet Rowland as his running mate all show voters his poor decision making skills. 

But then, McInnis could not possibly admit that Republicans nominated a bad candidate.  That would reflect on what the Republican Party has become under the guidance of Owens, Coors, Haggerty, Dobson and Trailhead.  The Republican Party in this state used to be a respected and honorable entity.  It has now been exposed for what it has morphed into and voters aghast at what they see in the Republican's extremism.

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by: RabidNeoCon @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 12:19:22 PM CDT

You're outside looking in...

I would agree with most of your post RNC, and the Republican party has suffered but not at the hands of the "extremists" as you claim, rather Benson, Owens, Coors et al,have forgotten the core values of the party.

The GOP is suppose to be the party of limited government, yet Owens campaigned heartily for Ref. C.  They're suppose to be the party of local control and again, Owens touted Ref. A (local control be damned)

You know yourself, with regard to drilling on the watershed, the Dem's have answered well with concern for the local people who live in the communities where the drilling occurs.  What are the R's saying?  "We'll trust science." The R's have forgotten to put people first.

Who is speaking for the Republican party in every instance?  It the "leadership" of Owens, Coors and Benson.

I'm sure you know the old saying in politics that you don't leave your base behind?  That is exactly what the blind leaders over at the state party have managed to do over the past few years.  Now, that they realize their base is not energized, they scratch their pointy little heads and wonder why?

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by: FrightWig @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 23:05:00 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

B, H & F - time for some new kingmakers

I hope everybody remembers that Steve Farber and Norm Brownstein have been shoving BWB down their firm's throat.  Hopefully Ritter and his people have long memories and block those two knuckleheads and all their minions out of the governor's office for the next four years.

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by: thesupercock @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 14:15:40 PM CDT

Player-hater

McInnis apparently hates high school quarterbacks.  He's on record for not liking Josh Penry.  And now John Marshall.

McInnis is pretty brave for a guy who is famous for sitting on the sidelines.  "I'd like to run for the senate, but I'm afraid of Ben Campbell!"  Or, "Now I'm going to get Ben Campbell back by running against him in the primary.... shoot.  That may be hard too.  Guess not."

"Maybe I'll run for Campbell's seat in '04.  Damn.  Salazar's running.  That might be hard.  Why won't someone GIVE me a seat!"

"I guess I'll tell everyone I MIGHT run for Governor and just wait to see if no one else, from either party, get in....  What?!  Damn it!  Gary Lindstrom and a balarina are in?!"

"Guess I'll just have to sit on the sidelines and throw bombs at my partner's opponent.  By 'endorsing' Bob, everyone will be fooled into thinking that my back-stabbing comments are really compliments!"

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by: Moonraker @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 15:42:13 PM CDT

Awwww

Did the Congressman hurt your feelings?

He's right. Everyone at the Beauprez campaign is living in a fantasy world and thinks everything is going great. You can either listen to him and take it as a wake-up call or you can attack him as a back-stabber and go back to sinking the Republican Party.

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by: Pompeius Gnaues Magnus @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 15:57:29 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Missed the point

McInnis isn't just some guy with an opinion, like us on this blog.  In regard to his comments, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

My larger point is that he has shown a predisposition to political cowardice.  He sits on the sidelines and lobs grenades - at his own team!

You all go apeshit when a candidate blames his staff for something.  I think you're right to do so.  For a so-called GOP 'leader,' McInnis just threw staff under the bus. 

I don't care if it's 100% true.  It would display more leadership to make a call to Bob personally and make those comments instead of gratuitiously announcing it in the press.

Would you all respect John Salazar if he said in the paper that Jay Fawcett's campaign is a trainwreck and he's got no shot?  He may be thinking that, and he may even say it to others on a 1-1 basis, but what kind of guy would he be to lob it out there in the media?

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by: Moonraker @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 17:04:21 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

The point

Why shouldn't he blame the campaign staff? Beauprez never had these problems before. This is the same dynamic duo that gave us Rep. John Salazar and Gov. Roy Romer after all.

And from the sound of it, McInnis has already been over this with Beauprez and his staff:

"Asked if he had any advice for the campaign, McInnis said: "That campaign is not inclined to take any advice from me, they think things are going just cheerily.""

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by: Pompeius Gnaues Magnus @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 17:37:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

...problems before

I believe that Beauprez has had some/not all of the same staff in his previous campaigns.

Nevertheless, if Scott McInnis were really supporting Beauprez - and wishes that Beauprez would win - how do his comments help those ends?

The other scenario is that he doesn't want Beauprez to win.

He's either an idiot or a liar.

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by: Moonraker @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 17:47:11 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I almost hate to say it but you have a valid point, Moon

If he really was making a good faith attempt to help Beauprez, why not meet with him one on one, privately and express his feelings about how badly the campaign is being managed? Going public does much more harm than good to Beauprez.

I'm thinking there are really only a couple of scenarios that back up what Scott did. Either, Moonraker is correct in his assertions re: Scott's character or Scott already met privately with BB, got nowhere and decided to go public, perhaps to humiliate BB into action.

Just a guess...

"The only way you could be worse is if you were Wade Norris." Ralphie

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by: Middle of the Road @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 18:18:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Why?

Why? Because he was way out on a limb with his endorsement (which was timed for Club 20), he didn't want to admit he backed a loser, so he has to blame somebody else so it doesn't look like he picked a dog in a horse race.

Certainly we can all agree that politicians are always there when there is credit to be given, but all have something else more pressing to do when there is blame coming down.

Seems simple.  What don't you get?

Best to kill them early instead of letting them possibly need food stamps.
--marilou, 2010

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by: Ralphie @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 19:33:39 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

A third scenario

McInnis knows what a bad choice Republicans made in nominating BWB and is trying to save the party from more  embarrassment by shifting the blame to a group of underlings who may be willing to fall on their swords to save Republicans from further shame.

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by: RabidNeoCon @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 19:43:24 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hit the nail on the head

"I believe that Beauprez has had some/not all of the same staff in his previous campaigns."

You're absolutely right Moonraker. We shouldn't be pinning this on the entire staff. It's just the new additions of John Marshall, Shari Williams, and Cinamon Watson who should be canned.

They can retain the old staff from 02 and 04 but get rid of that trio. Marshall for lying to the press and having no idea what he's doing, Shari for doing a lousy job, and Cinamon for failing to raise any money for the campaign.

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by: Pompeius Gnaues Magnus @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 19:51:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

News for you

Moonraker,  sorry to be the one to break this to you, but we all voted - there were no objections - and you have been officially re-named "Moonshill".  You need to change your sigs from here on out. 

Sorry, Dude.

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by: roll the idiots @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 18:03:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I guess

when you're in the minority (like on this blog) you're labeled a shill.  There's nothing I can do about it.

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by: Moonraker @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 18:09:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

uh...

Wasn't it on this very site more than a year ago that we were making fun of some photo of McInnis and Penry?  It was, like, a photo from a Penry campaign piece.  Where McInnis and his then intern were doing paperwork or some such nonsense.  Wasn't that the same dynamic duo? 

And if it is, then my dear MoonShill, you owe us an apology for saying McInnis doesn't like Penry. 

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by: what?!? @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 21:37:11 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'd go along with your suggestion number 2 Middle

McInnis would only publicly bash a fellow Repub out of sheer frustration.  He sees this train wreck, they won't listen to him, so he flogs them in public to try and get some action. 

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by: Lauren Bacall @ Sun Sep 17, 2006 at 12:58:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yeah, I'm thinking that, too

After all, he's been in politics for awhile and he's fully aware of the impact of making those kinds of statements publicly and what it can do to a campaign that is already floundering.

(nice to see/hear you, BTW :))

"The only way you could be worse is if you were Wade Norris." Ralphie

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by: Middle of the Road @ Sun Sep 17, 2006 at 18:04:57 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thanks Middle

I've been having problems with my wireless laptop for two months now, which has limited computer "fun" to a minimum.  Hopefully I'll get functional again one of these days and can rejoin the blogosphere!

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by: Lauren Bacall @ Mon Sep 18, 2006 at 10:32:23 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Marshall's inexperience

I actually feel sorry for Marshall. My guess is the powers that be hired him precisely because of his lack of experience so they could control him. (As McGinnis commented, they were clearly unwilling to accept any advice from him.)

It's too bad that when Todd Hartman was busy asking Bruce Benson for quotes he failed to ask Benson just who ran HIS failed gubernatorial campaign -- Shari Williams.

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by: scarletcord @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 15:44:57 PM CDT

Like school in summer

(Except for you, Aristotle) McInnis has no class.  What are his credentials again, for knowing what it takes to win a tough campaign?

That guy couldn't even get his brother-in-law a senate seat in his own (former) congressional district.

McInnis will hit paydirt if his lawfirm partner gets elected to Governor.  Does McInnis even have a law degree?

His endorsement is as valuable as Gore's was to Dean.

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by: Moonraker @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 15:47:23 PM CDT

Please :)

I would love the hear the attacks on McInnis come officially from the Beauprez camp. Please? Because you know, everyone in the state hates him.... oh wait, no they don't. But only someone that was half-way in touch with Colorado would know that.

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by: WinstonSmith @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 16:54:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

By golly...me thinks

that "what?!?" pegged moonie's identity right between the eyes in her/his post yesterday.  Maybe if moonie had spent a little less time talking about "monkey meat" BWB might only be 16 points down instead of 17.
And far-be-it for me to defend McInnis but he was certainly right in opposing "Lurch" Penry.

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by: RabidNeoCon @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 16:56:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

What's the deal

With everyone on here talking about Bill Ritter eating monkey meat in Africa?  That's got to be worse than bagged spinach...

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by: Moonraker @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 17:07:01 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Who cares? I bet it's a hell of alot safer

than buying bagged spinach at King Sooper's right now.

"The only way you could be worse is if you were Wade Norris." Ralphie

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by: Middle of the Road @ Sat Sep 16, 2006 at 18:20:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]