September 22, 2010 01:13 AM UTC

Frazier, Heal Thyself

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• by: Colorado Pols

Too funny, from ABC’s The Note:

Asked why it’s been so long since any black Republicans have won seats in the House or Senate, Frazier said:

“I think it speaks largely to the fact that Republicans have not done enough to engage in black communities, in Hispanic communities, on the issues that they care about…[a]nd you know, half the battle is just showing up. And that’s one thing we as Republicans need to do a better job of.” [Pols emphasis]

Here’s the thing: in politics, you want to be careful how you phrase your pitch lines. In the case of Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier, the adage “half the battle is showing up” is kind of perilous given how his opponents, both primary and general, have been hammering away at his poor attendance record on the city council for months. No doubt Democrats will agree that “showing up” is something Frazier “needs to do a better job of”–just not in the sense he intended!

In the future, this landmine can be avoided by substituting “reach out” for “show up” or something like that. If you don’t say it, they can’t make a joke of you saying it–simple, right? There was the option of, well, actually “showing up” to work, but it’s probably a little late now.