Over the last couple months, this blog has covered the myriad problems with the Rasoul campaign (here, here, here and here). Honestly, I was getting to the point where I felt sorry for the guy because he and his campaign were becoming such an embarrassment.
However, now that it appears he's begun blatantly misleading the voters of the 6th District, I no longer feel sorry for him. As many insiders know, we've heard Rasoul is getting a lot of pressure from the Democratic establishment to drop out of this race because of the negative impact he's going to have "up ticket" (Warner and Obama).
Apparently, Rasoul has attempted to deflect this pressure by claiming that he and his people are "knocking on thousands of doors a day" and even claims they'll knock on 100,000 doors in 75. Guess what? IT AIN'T TRUE.
We're hearing that Rasoul, his wife and a couple paid staffers are out there knocking on doors - but nowhere close to thousands a day. Instead, many of the doors that are being knocked (for which he's taking credit) are apparently for Obama and Warner with no mention of Rasoul (think they're trying to distance themselves from him?).
What it appears Rasoul is actually doing are mass literature drops in peoples' boxes and then claiming these are "doors knocked." Not only is this a stupid waste of what we all know to be very limited campaign resources, but he's misleading people about the scope of his campaign. Ask yourself why Rasoul would try to mislead voters on something as irrelevant as this? Think he's trying to relieve some of the pressure on him to drop out?
Thankfully, the voters of the 6th District have seen through this Rasoul scam. They view him as an embarrassment to our region who can't even get the support of local Democrats. The Democratic powers that be already got rid of their bad candidate in the 1st District and it is clear that Rasoul must be feeling the heat.
We're learning more and more about this clown everyday and we'll have some really interesting posts over the next few months exposing "the real Sam Rasoul."
Update - My original post was a little inartful when I said "mail boxes" instead of boxes. Sorry for any confusion.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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41 comments:
Take a look at lymanknows.blogspot.com
Has anyone noticed that despite Rasoul's year plus head start Goodlatte already has more signs out than Rasoul?
Lemon.Lyman/anonymous 2:42 - I have no problem with people linking other blogs or blog posts here IF they are making a comment relevant to the original post and are linking to a relevant post elsewhere. Please don't use this as a forum to drive up your blog's hits. I realize your blog has lots of posts re: Mr. Rasoul so, in the future, please just link to the relevant content to accompany a comment you are making. Thanks.
Telling the truth? Yes, actually, they are. Unlike, for instance, the McCain ad cited by the Post today.
Thank you for this opportunity to help you out.
I know lots of Democratic activists/leaders in CD06 and talk to them frequently - it is interesting that I learn from a Republican that the "Democratic establishment" is trying to get him to drop out. Sounds like chicken litter to me.
How convenient that your posts links to yourself. Is this some sort of joke blog? Blind leading the blind.
Sign wars? If you have any insight into campaigns, you know how imperfect they are at predicting anything. Worse than the weatherman. What is amazing is how many signs Rasoul, the challenger, has out all over the district.
Maybe you, since you have all the insider info, can answer this question - Goodlatte apparently commissioned a poll which he now won't release. Results not to his liking?
Rasoul is one of the smartest and hardest working challengers I've seen in VA politics. Yeah, the advantages of incumbency are important, but he has the yoke of the Bush failures around his neck. Yes, it is uphill, but Raoul's hard work and new ideas in a change election will count for much.
I guess the flyers blowing around neighborhoods don't count into those thousands of doors Rasoul is knocking on.
I noticed Obama had to throw his buddy ludacris under the bus today after his little rap about mccain needing to be paralyzed and hillary being a bitch. I wonder if he removed the music from his ipod? Wait nevermind...he only says what he has to in order to make the story pass--just like his spiritual adviser and his domestic terrorist buddies.
Let me say welcome to all the Rasoul trolls. Both of Rasoul's supporters are always welcome here.
By the way, since both of you are here, can you please stop putting flyers in mailboxes of non-supporters (meaning the entire 6th)? We (and the Salem City workers) are getting tired of unwanted Rasoul paraphenalia blowing around our streets. So much for Rasoul being enviromentally friendly.
Goodlatte is in touch with his constituents. Rasoul is a crazy liberal and completely out of touch with the district. I guess that is why all his money is from out of state and from his family.
If Goodlatte does have a poll, why release it now? No need to encourage Rasoul to drop out of the race when he sees how far down he is. Rasoul will only drive up republican turnout in the 6th.
Change change change change. Change can be good. But this year change means huge government, unions running rampant and jobs flying overseas, a spectacular government health care debacle, and trillions in new spending and taxes on all Americans.
I'm not lyman, i just thought you'd like his blog since you were railing on him as much as that guy does.
especially since he's got the analysis of the numbers that you dont. sheesh. next time i wont bother letting you know about something you might like.
Anon - Like I said, feel free to link to a blog. Just tie it in to a comment so readers know the relevance. Thanks for posting.
I've never worked Salem. Guess there must be more of us than you thought.
Sounds like jgfitzgerald is the solitary man working for Rasoul.
JGF, here's a song in your honor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rz92JWtS50
Keep up the good work. We love seeing you spending Dem resources in the 6th.
Let me explain the concept of internal consistency. You ask a plural group of people, apparently including me, to stop doing something in Salem. I say I've never been in Salem. You say I'm apparently the only Sam guy (in the district, perhaps?), contradicting your earlier idea of a group of people. You abandon your own original thought, or at least a part of it, in order to make the discussion ... something. Personal? Not even that, since your response makes it obvious you're not referring to me, but to some political construct, a Democratic straw man imagined to fit not reality but what you want to say.
That's what it's like when you don't have any internal consistency. Work on understanding that concept for a while, and I'll try and help you some more later. Sorry you're having so much trouble with this thread.
This is my favorite thread yet on this blog. Thanks for your thoughts Rasoulites. You 2 can invite Rasoul's other 2 supporters to stop by anytime. You're the best.
speaking of signs...isn't it terrible when you piss everyone off with signs by getting the ACLU involved in the 6th District to protect the only advertising you can afford...because no one in the district supports you financially
Salem Republicans:
I don't think you want to get into intellectual jousting with jgfitzgerald.
While I don't agree with him politically, Joe's one of the more intelligent people within the 6th CD...he will hand you your head in a debate, quite often without you even knowing.
In the heavily Republican area that is Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, you may be surprised how much support Rasoul will get — albeit not from me.
Dave my money would be on Salem Rep in a debate.
Thanks for the warning Dave. - Nothing would have been worse than to have been humiliated by a Rasoulite. Maybe you can come to court with me and advise me there as well. Thanks for your concern.
JGF, sounds like we should thank you for gracing us with your intellectual presence. Thanks to you as well and good luck in November.
I will weigh in on this for a bit. I have heard from some in the Dem leadership that there is a lot of talk within the party that Sam should drop out. As to why Goodlatte did not release the poll, well consider this how hard would it be to recruit volunteers if you were up by 40 points in the poll?
Salem Republicans:
I've learned through personal experience that many lawyers could use the advice of we who are non-attorneys.
I no longer think attorneys are more intelligent than any given box of rocks.
If you've ever defended a non-custodial parent against a DCSE show cause summons, you probably could have used my advice in Court.
Being up by 30 has not made it difficult for Mark Warner to recruit volunteers. Must be a Pub problem.
Odd that top Dems are only telling Pubs that Sam should drop out. Odder still that the Dems have no names.
So you concede the point the Goodlatte is up by at least 30?
I did not say it was currenlty tough to recruit volunteers did I? You should have seen the support at the HQ opening. Speaking of HQ why does the downtown Dem HQ only have Warner and Obama signs posted on the windows? Where is your boy?
Actually, I conceded there was a Pub problem, if your guy is ahead by the amount you assume, and if you think that would create a volunteer shortage. Forgive me for not being subjunctive enough in my previous post.
As to the windows, I hadn't noticed. Perhaps Sam wants to make the others stand on their own two feet and not depend on his help. Perhaps that speculation is absurd, but where the Rasoul campaign is concerned, absurd speculation seems to be rampant. Have you heard the one about unnamed party bosses trying to get him to withdraw?
Dave - You missed my point. I actually don't think most attorneys are all that smart. Myself, I'm uniquely ignorant and inarticulate. I'm just asking for your continued advice since you're "the braintrust of the Central Shenandoah Valley."
JGF - Since you're such an intellectual and concerned with "internal consistency," let's see how intellectually honest you can be. Do you actually think Rasoul will win this race? Do you actually think he'll break 40?
I'll be fair and I'll go first. I do not think Gilmore can win and I am not sure if he can break 45. Your turn.
Sam has many missions. (One is to make Bob spend it all.) I don't know what the final numbers will be, I haven't seen any polling, and I know Goodlatte could no more lose the 6th than the Patriots could lose the Super Bowl. On any given Tuesday ...
I know Sam could win, and that makes the effort worthwhile. I would guess, intuitively, with no polling to back it up, that Sam's percentage in the 6th will be better than Gilmore's statewide.
For now, who knows? But, hey, how about those Giants?
Leaving literature in mailboxes is a federal crime (tampering with mail delivery).
If Rasoul is doing what you say he is doing, then he should be reported to the authorities.
If, however, you have no evidence, witnesses or proof of such activity, I would advise you to not make unsubstantiated accusations.
In other words, put up or shut up.
JGF - Didn't think we'd get an intellectually honest answer out of you. By the way, you actually think Sam's rag tag bunch is going to make Goodlatte spend over $1.5 million?
I actually like your comparison between the Senate and 6th District races. Wanna place a friendly wager that the Goodlatte/Rasoul margin is greater than the Warner/Gilmore margin?
I don't know about mail boxes for sure, though I've heard of Rasoul's folks doing it. Without a doubt he is loading paper boxes full of his junk, which is now blowing around the streets. I have seen first hand a couple of dirty, hippy looking types loading up paper boxes.
For someone who is supposed to be so smart your wager is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard.
I saw one of Rasoul's volunteers stuffing newspaper boxes near New Hope in Augusta. He had to stop his car, crawl into the passenger seat, put it in the box, then get back into the driver seat. The reason I remember it was because the kid had Rasoul magnets all over his car and he stopped on the downside of a hill to stuff the box. Just as I was heading up the hill a car coming in the opposite came over the hill and had to slam on its brakes to avoid hitting the Rasoul kid's car. Not the best way to do it. Plus, when I got home, I had a flyer in my newspaper box, (even though I have a Goodlatte sign in my yard) along with both of my neigbors...neither of whom are registered to vote in VA. They are snow birds and are registered to vote in FL so that was 3 flyers that were for nothing.
As a close friend to a field organizer on the campaign i can tell you that the field organizers are hard working college students who do not stuff mailboxes ( it is well known to be illegal) but instead knock as many doors as possibly during a 10 hour work day in order to gain perspective on what the people of this district truly care about. Your speculation about these workers is pitiful and calling them liars about doing hard work everyday from a computer is atrocious. These young people have put their life on hold to work for a man that is truly trying to oust one of the worst crooks this country has ever seen. SO i encourage you to keep speculating from your chair, but i will gladly let one of them know if you want to go out and see them work. As for your misinterpretation of what they are currently doing, they are not lit dropping but have a well known goal to knock on 100,000 doors. Can it be done? We shall see, but at least they are listening. Just report the facts please.
They'll get perspective alright. The perspective they'll gain is that 6th cd voters feel that Goodlatte has done a great job and shares their values. Oh yea...and they'll learn that outside of the normal 23-28 of hardcore liberals, people think rasoul is a total clown.
anon 2:56 - With which of Rasoul's prior or current field organizers are you associated? The reason I ask is that the turnover on his staff, including at the field director position, is so inbelievable that it appears no one really knows what is going on.
i am friends with one of the main field organizers for Roanoke who has been with the campaign since April and has been canvassing since then. I sense a hint of sarcasm but regardless of turnover, there are still people out there making sure change occurs in the 6th district. By the way i believe the word you were looking for was unbelievable.
No, I meant "INbelievable" which is like "INfamous," meaning more than famous. If you don't get that explanation watch Three Amigos.
Like I said in the comments above, I'm neither smart nor articulate.
By the way, if you only sensed a "hint of sarcasm" then I'm clearly slipping.
Calling Goodlatte a crook competely dicredits your argument. You may not agree with him because you are a flaming liberal but a crook he is not.
i apologize for letting my emotions get the best of me by calling Mr. goodlatte a crook, it is quite a strong word. However i can promise you i am not a flaming liberal but a registered republican. Salem Republican my mistake on the wording as well. But unless you can show me besides earmarks what goodlatte plans on doing to improve the situation of the 6th district, i am lost. i have no special agenda but when you speculate about a mans job, like you did my friend's, thats where i draw the line. There are field organizers for rasoul trust me and they are knocking on doors. end of story
"However i can promise you i am not a flaming liberal but a registered republican."
If you're a "registered republican" then you don't live in Virginia since we don't register by party here.
If you're really that out of touch with the 6th District that you don't know what Goodlatte has done then you and Rasoul are made for each other. Clearly you fall into Rasoul's target demographic (out of touch voters).
ah yes sir you have realized a fatal flaw i am originally from another state but i have lived in salem for some years now. It is funny that you answered my question about what goodlatte has done to help the people with no real legitimate response except an attack on how out of touch i am. That was my exact point,apparently i am out of touch and i want to be in the know like you. thats all. and again i commend you on your dedication to the man, the only reason i spoke was to lay off another man just trying to do his job and canvass.
anon - First let me say I appreciate your participation in this thread and would love for you to pick an identity and continue blogging. I know people feel more comfortable being anonymous but it helps with the conversation when we know who we're talking to.
As for your friend, no one is attacking him. I have great respect for people who feel passionate about a cause and fight for it. Nowhere in this thread has an attack been lobbed at those canvassing. Nor is there anything wrong with passing out literature.
The problem is that Rasoul is inflating the work of his campaign to alleviate the pressure on him and it ends up making people like your friend look bad.
By the way, regardless of your feelings about Goodlatte, you profess to be a Republican and you live in Salem. If you'd like to discuss the great impact Goodlatte has had in the 6th District feel free to come to our next meeting on 8/12.
I believe that Salam Rasoul is guilty of taking 1 PAC donation (re: FEC report, Al Weed). It happens that no Democratic PACs want to be aligned with him, although my information is officially off the record. In addition, the Democratic Party innercircle that happens to support this character, are all (or should I say all 3) going down in flames. As an old friend of mine once said, "you can't put perfume on a hog"(Rasoul,that would be you).
So as much as Lemon-Lyman knows,
Belle Rose crows, and Chris Graham, well, on our nerves he grows, I say, what comes around, goes around. Garstang lost credibility a while back.
This closely knit little clique of
Democratic Chairpersons who tend to be the only ones commenting on each other's blogs are just too busy patting each other on the back about their progressive, democratic enlightened elitism to see that Rasoul (although he works tirelessly to either fix or hide his daily blunders in addition to borrowing the ideas of Goodlatte and Allen to become his platform and then nnounces in his daily press releases) is probably the most disliked individual who ever ran for office in the 6th. I think Rasoul was probably the worst candidate the 6th District Dems could have picked to represent
them.
Where I live, the majority of homeowners work 2-3 jobs at close to minimum wage in order to make their housepayments. Rasoul repeatedly shouts out his intent to represent the "middle class". I don't think he is aware of the silent majority (they also vote) and they are on to him. The word spreads fast in the the valley.
Disgruntled Dem, Down in the Valley
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