OMG, check out the way that the "Olivia" ad is reshaping local campaigns across the country.
Case in point: The Nashville, Tenn. campaign for mayor.
A guy named David Briley, now a Metro Council member, is running -- and just launched a new ad featuring his "mop-topped 4-year-old son, Sam." He's in fifth place in a five candidate race, but he's "hoping for a miracle finish" -- and, to quell any critics, he's circulating news articles about ... Michael Nutter, of course!
Read the story from the Nashville Scene here.
(edited to add by Dan)
I saw that story this morning (7/12) and was struck by this bit of lazy reporting:
Briley is hoping for a miracle finish for his campaign. To illustrate his optimism, he’s been circulating news articles about the surprise victory this spring of Michael Nutter in the Philadelphia Democratic mayoral primary. Nutter, a former city council member, overcame weak fund raising to rally from fourth place and defeat a millionaire, two congressmen and a state representative—making up 30 percentage points in about 30 days. So, there is a precedent.
This guy can use the Nutter example all he wants, but we all know from following the campaign closely that weak fundraising was not really an issue for Nutter. In fact, he was second only to Knox in amount of money raised and spent and totally blew away the two congressmen. I think by the time people are done using Nutter's come-from-behind story in their own efforts, that story will have been exaggerated so much that he'll have suffered from weak fundraising, low poll numbers, debilitating injuries, a fire in his campaign office and he'll have done it all with no campaign staff while simulatenously curing cancer.
Comments (2)
Whew !! Dan and Wendy I'm scared of you two :-)
I'm speechless and I've gathered a whole new ability appreciation concerning the words in this rapid account of Nutter in Nashville. All I can say is. This is tough and I'm united in accordance.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | July 12, 2007 12:19 PM
Maybe it'll make more Philadelphians take pride in their city... or something.
Posted by Anonymous | July 13, 2007 5:01 PM