When everybody else is talking about healthcare, they’re doing NASCAR … State media fixated on AMEXgate? They hold a conference call with reporters (today) to announce, again, that they’re getting really really close on their petition drive (the one bit of news they did make on the call was that after all of this, they might wind up paying the $10,000 filing fee anyway, in case some of the petitions are challenged by Republicans.) And less than a week after Israel punks the United States by announcing new settlements on the same day Joe Biden arrives to talk peace, prompting even Israel’s closest friends to wonder what they’re thinking, and even as the Obama administration continues to rebuke Bibi Netanyahu and company and even demand a cancellation of the East Jerusalem provocation, Team Meek forwards around an op-ed in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that is, to say the least, off key…this does seem to be another case where the Meek team seems to be just off the news cycle, and kind of missing the plot. Maybe it’s a strategic thing, but I sure don’t get it.
I don’t get it either and that’s my problem with Kendrick Meek’s campaign from Day One. I like Kendrick Meek. A lot. I was there when he staged his sit-in of Jeb Bsh’s office. I witnessed first-hand his political courage. And I appreciate Meek picking me to be the first blogger to interview him. I guess my problem is with his campaign and this post from the Reid Report encapsulates some of my issues with it.
Maybe if Meek’s campaign had listened to me and others a few months ago about its petition drive, including my suggestions to collect signatures on Election Day last November and to get their petitions in to the various Supervisor of Elections’ offices, the campaign would not have to worry about their being enough a problem with the signature verification process to have to pay the filing fee.
And please, Meek supporters, don’t tell me the petition gathering process wasn’t about generating earned media. Everything a campaign does is about generating earned media. And the campaign’s glacial pace at collecting signatures and poor administration is why Meek’s efforts barely garnered attention.
