"We're All Mike Coffman"--Now It's Just Getting Weird

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by: Colorado Pols

Embattled GOP Rep. Mike Coffman’s re-election campaign in 2016 has been easily the most audacious triangulation off his own party that we’ve seen in his long political career–a reflection of the difficulty he faces remaining viable in ultra-swing CD-6 as Republican in the era of Donald Trump. Coffman has kicked the reinvention of his formerly hard-right political image into high gear with a dual message this election season: “He’s not like other Republicans”–and “Mike Coffman is one of us.”

But in a walk piece were were sent a photo of this week, Coffman seems to be taking the “one of us” meme a little too far:

See the new twist? Mike Coffman isn’t just “one of us.” We’re all Mike Coffman! This presumably means you.

The “I’m Mike Coffman” thing starts off well enough, but quickly gets…rather weird.

We can almost hear Oprah Winfrey now: “You’re Mike Coffman! And you’re Mike Coffman! EVERYBODY gets to be Mike Coffman!”

Look, we get that the point of this piece of campaign literature is to instill a sense of empathy between Coffman and the diverse voters of his district. Voters who in many cases wouldn’t find much to support in Coffman’s record if they knew the facts.

Unfortunately, Coffman was much better off presenting himself as a member of the community he represents, not bizarrely claiming he “is” the community. This may have seemed like a good idea in a strategy meeting, but it’s just strange and insulting in the final product–to the point of being downright narcissistic.

If Coffman can’t see that, we’d say he’s been on the run from his own past for too long.

8 thoughts on ““We’re All Mike Coffman”–Now It’s Just Getting Weird”

Pseudonymous says:

September 15, 2016 at 2:53 pm

This is clearly one of the negative outcomes that weed prohibitionists were warning us about. The folks who designed this piece were clearly high AF.

We are all Mike Coffman!

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skeptical citizen says:

September 15, 2016 at 2:59 pm

He's Mike Coffman ??

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BlueCat says:

September 15, 2016 at 5:15 pm

He's Mike Coffman, people know his name, don't care about 99% of what gets discussed at this site about him and he's going to be Mike Coffman of CD6….. again. Sorry. Don't we all know it's true? Honestly? Nowhere near just 50/50 for reelection?

If somebody's got some internal polling that shows anything close I'd love for them to leak it, of course. Nobody wanted this to be the year for CD6 Dems more than I did. Where the hell has the Carroll campaign been!?!

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1. Conserv. Head Banger says:
  
  September 15, 2016 at 8:41 pm
  
  The sex is wrong, but Ms. Carroll reminds me of the old Beatles song, "Nowhere Man."
  
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2. JeffcoBlue says:
  
  September 16, 2016 at 8:29 am
  
  If you hadn't been posting here for years I would swear you were a troll for the Coffman campaign.
  
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  1. BlueCat says:
    
    September 16, 2016 at 8:48 am
    
    Sorry. Just calling 'em like I see 'em and I'm not seeing much of anything from Carroll. If I were an average mainly presidential year voter and not a member of the tiny active and engaged minority I would maybe have seen that one Carroll ad a time or two and probably have trouble remembering her name.
    
    Please, anybody, show me where I'm wrong. Please show me what ColPols 50/50 assessment is based on other than the fact that we here think Coffman is a jerk.
    
    I'd love to be wrong about this. I'd love to think Carroll has a great chance to win my district. Besides criticizing me for my lack of cheer leader optimism could you or anyone else help me out with anything a little more concrete? Seriously. If there's some great news out there concerning this campaign I want to hear it.
    
    JeffcoBlue? ColPols? Itlduso? MJ? V? Anybody?
    
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    1. Pseudonymous says:
      
      September 16, 2016 at 9:00 am
      
      Cook set CO-6 at Republican toss-up two days ago. Roll Call as a Republican tilt.
      
      My personal guess? She loses 53/47, but that's based on nothing but my own, reliably wrong, gut.
      
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    2. BlueCat says:
      
      September 16, 2016 at 11:28 am
      
      Anybody have more encouraging news than Pseudo's? Anybody? Yoohoo!
      
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