Mending Gabby's Fences

 

Gabby Giffords' latest campaign video is causing consternation in some Democratic circles, including one which is a major base of her biggest, and arguably most important supporter, Raul Grijalva. Some immigration rights and Hispanic civil rights activists are concerned that Gabby's latest ad 'Safe' conflates the issue of homeland security to avert terrorism, with border security to control the flow of undocumented immigration along the Mexican border, to the great detriment of their own political work.

Conflating these two issues in the public mind is anathema to many in the immigrants' rights movement. Some feel Gabby's rhetoric makes their political goal of creating a humane, just, and sensible package of immigration and border reforms harder to achieve. Gabby's rhetoric, though possibly helping her chances of election in what already looks to be a likely cakewalk over Graf, is seen as a cyical betrayal of their political interests.

Few, if any, are going to jump off Gabby's bandwagon as a result, of course. They recognize that the alternative is unacceptable. But there are quiet remonstrations of the candidate and her staff occuring behind the scenes. And I wonder how may Hispanic voters, seeing Gabby talking almost as tough on immigration as Graf in some cases, will simply elect to stay home, feeling that Gabby doesn't present a real alternative to Graf's policies. That's bad for the entire ticket. There will certainly be fences to mend after the election if Gabby wants to hold the allegiance of this vocal, well-organized and influential grass-roots faction of the party.

Comments

[x4mr]

All right, Michael, just for the record I think very highly of this blog and think you post some fabulous material and extremely valuable information. Your great work on the propositions at the link you provide is one example.

But there is something going on with you when it comes to Giffords. Maybe you requested an interview with her during the primary, just like Latas, etc., and for whatever reason she declined or didn't have time or whatever, and you've been miffed ever since.

I don't know.

Something's there. I don't know chicken or egg, but if it whatever is there was there prior to your request for an interview, that might explain why it didn't happen.

At any rate. This is a 30 second ad, not a position paper or a speech delivered articulating her position on issues. IT'S AN AD!!

Maybe you have access to lots of information I don't, and that is certainly possible, but my radar and resulting calculations have a hard time seeing "remonstrations" and people "staying home" because of an ad clearly designed to broaden appeal and win the general election.

These people don't get she has an election to win?

[Francine Shacter]

Dear, dear x4mr:

Just to put my comments into context: The morning after the election, I went over to Giffords headquarters, gave them a bag of my pens, and said "Just let me know what you want me to do and I'll be happy to help in any way I can." There have been a number of Democratic "unity" events to which all candidates were invited. With the exception of the press conference at the Viscountes on September 14, no candidate has been seen or heard from - except for me. I have attended each one and have introduced Gabby and made clear my unqualified support for her candidacy. She won - she's a Democrat - she has my unqualified support.

The letter Latas sent out says nothing about Giffords.I haven't seen anything written by Rodriguez. Weiss went over to Giffords headquarters the night of the primary - and to my knowledge, which certainly is not prefect - hasn't been seen since.

Are you oblivious to the large number of Democrats who are disaffected from Giffords for just the reason that Michael cites in his comments? The so-called progressives have a very different view of the immigration question and how Giffords balances on that tightrope will be a key to her election. I have to tell you, it gives me the vapors that her campaign has agreed to 6 (six) debates with her opponent, two of them on the same day. That is a level of exposure that was not necessary and in my humble (me, humble?) judgment, is not wise. When you are that far ahead of your opponent, you just let things lie quietly, don't stir the waters, invoke any and all dieties - and hope that election day comes without any major disruptions!

If you heard me during the pre-primary campaign speak on the immigration issue, I did what I could to take the heat out of the debate so we could shed light on the issue. Given the present Republican candidate (notice, as an experienced politician, I don't even mention his name!)that is a difficult challenge.

[mbryanaz]

In this case, I'm quite sure I do have access to information and people whom you do not. But just a few phone calls could easily confirm what I'm talking about. Reporting what is happening in the Democratic party is not grinding an axe. Being critical of a candidate's strategy and positions is not trying to harm that candidate. One of the major dysfunctions of this party is the tacit taboo on criticizing our own candidates. That is one of the reasons our Congressional Democrats have so little fucking spine that they can't stand up against institutionalizing torture and disappearing people: because we are afraid to demand that our own elected officials stand for something that might be less than politically expedient.

If you honestly think that running puffy posts about how peachy keen Gabby is might be of interest to anyone, you really don't understand the purpose of a political blog. And that doesn't surprise me; I'm not always sure myself. One of the things I'm sure of however, is that to be interesting, a political blog has to be honest, and it has to inform people about what's going on whenever it can. Gabby is pissing off immigration reform activists by trying to be tough on immigration. That's happening. Your implicit suggestion that I censor myself to help Gabby, doesn't fit with an open democratic society, or a healthy Democratic party.

Bloggers shouldn't act as online mouthpeices of political campaigns, unless they disclose that purpose to their readers - otherwise they are just amateur propagandists. If some bloggers do that, fine. But this one doesn't. I'll gather what info I can from inside the campaigns, even at the cost of having to keep my mouth shut about it for a time, but if anyone thinks I'm going to bend my judgment to their campaign plan, they can forget it.

As for Gabby interviewing with me, her advisors have to do what they think is best for their candidate. If I were Gabby's handler, would I have let me interview Gabby, one on one, live? Probably not. Does that piss me off? No. In fact, I take it as a backhanded compliment, actually.

But one thing I can always count on is that whenever I breathe a word that is less than worshipful about Gabby, I'll have certain Democrats down on my neck implying that I'm a traitor or a deviant. To me, it's like waking up and discovering a clown hanging out in your bedroom: both amusing and terrifying.

[mbryanaz]

Oh yeah, one last point. Yes, it's an ad. What do campaigns spend the majority of their media funds on? Ads. What do most voters use to learn about the campaign? Ads. What do campaigns rely on to move numbers? Ads.

Don't tell me it's just an ad. It's the public face of the campaign and the most concise distillation of what a campaign is about. There is no such thing as just an ad. It may not be nuanced, but they are powerful, and rigorously tested, and expensively constructed.

Just an ad... right.

[Dwight D. Leister: Chair: Committee To Elect]

Let me point out one thing that some people have confused ; Legal Mexicans are NOT in lockstep supporting the Immigrant Rights of Illegal Mexicans; people like Raul Grijalvia who is a member of La Raza(The Race; in English) and does nothing to warn his Mexican friends on the other side to enter legally as entering illegally is at your own risk; or try to fix the massive border deaths and problems associated with his District 7 bordering with Mexico;as the Fence now will fence off his entire District 7 from Mexico;as no other District or uninterrupted Border Fence along the whole 2100 mile section does.
Giffords needs to separate herself from La Raza and Grijalvia as she did Eddie Basha to gain Union Support, as she debates Graf and tries to win the hearts and minds of 100,000 Independent voters and 140,000 Republican voters against 120,000 Democratic voters. Kolbe enjoyed a cross-over voting because of being supportive of the ACLU on one hand and being Gay, plus an advocate for the business community. Giffords as a former Republican with alot of Republican money, must try to balance all of this in a hard republican district with alot of retired people who are married and have alot of money in the Stock Market and Cd's with high rates at this time. She might do well to state the facyt she was a New York Stock Broker before selling El Campo to avoid Bankruptcy.

[Dwight D. Leister: Chair: Committee To Elect]

Raul Grijalvia does NOT live in CD8 and can not vote for Gabby;I do not see large amounts of money being donated by The Grijalvia Campaign to the Giffords campaign on the FEC web-site;maybe you have some inside information we don't have?

[Gretchen Wagenseller]

Even though the 2 issues--terrorism/security and illegal immigration--should be viewed as separate problems, there is SOME overlap regarding METHODs for dealing with both. Getting the US-VISIT program up and running will help with both problems and making interior enforcement re VISA overstays [estimated to be almost half of unauthorized immigrants, inlcuding numerous known terrorists who were known to be operating in the U.S.] will help with both problems.

[Dwight D. Leister: Chair: Committee To Elect]

Governor Napolitano; Gabrielle Giffords and I have agreed on Securing the Border,holding employers accountable and deployment of the National Guard as I stated in a meeting at the ACLU in April of 2004 with Raul Grijalvia in attendance. Jim Pederson has recently adopted the same positions; and all of us are proceeding together in lockstep to see it get done. Since all of these positions have been known to all the voters we have picked up bi-partisan support across the board from all voters,not just voters in the Pima County Democratic Party Nucleus Club!

[x4mr]

Michael/Francine:

My remark was meant to be provocative for Michael, and it was not based on one story but many over a period of several months. I could not agree more strongly with his remarks that blog should not be "puffy posts about how peachy keen" ANY candidate is, but in the same vein I will note that commentators should not post "puffy comments" about how peachy keen an original story is. That we challenge each other is in my opinion what makes this worthwhile.

Although I must acknowledge and have on occasion using different words that this is a fabulous blog and indeed some of Michael’s work here is peachy keen.

Francine, will fully acknowledge I am not connected or involved enough to address what you are referring to with any "street smarts." If we were to conduct the "poll from God" and learn everything everyone thinks about Giffords, I have no clue what substantive flaws would emerge. If you want to classify me as a Giffords groupie, go ahead. I’m not, but my gut does tell me that this gal is going places, and that she has developed an MO consistent with this. Such an MO may have its downsides.

I can appreciate Michael’s remark about how posting criticism or questions of Giffords can result in a blog squad onslaught rising to her defense, but just recall that prior to the primary there was a chorus of venom launched against her. Naturally folks reacted to this. I think this has already changed

Will post more if I think of more, but will conclude by saying that I am not criticizing this blog or suggesting Michael change his MO one iota. I will just react when I have a reaction, for example, challenging the suggestion that folks might be "feeling that Gabby doesn't present a real alternative to Graf's policies"

because of an ad.

[Dwight D. Leister: Chair: Committee To Elect]

After reading some posts on this Blog "Drinking Liberally" and comments of people being attacked for posting comments please let me remind everyone Drinking Liberally is a International Blog and State wide Blog and National Blog of many-many different Chapters. I am a member of a Chapter of Drinking Liberally in my home town in another state and do not find the monterator attacking people who post comments;they welcome comments.

Iam continually amazed at back seat drivers who shout directions to the driver!

[Dwight D. Leister: Chair: Committee To Elect]

Iam going to make the monterator angry by posting "OFF TOPIC" but I must ay something here about supporting ones beliefs amist negative reactions from others.

I live in a very strict area besides being in Oro Valley home owners associations dictate what you wear,where you walk,and if a weed is in your yard you will be warned and cited. Also you can not change anything about your house with-out being sanctioned.

A neighbor complained to the association that I was flying an American Flag from my Flagpole in the BACKYARD and they could see it from there house. I was told to have been a Republican because Democrats don't fly American Flags! This is what our Party must get right with the voters. Iam the Elected Democratic Precinct Committeeman and try NOT to bother anyone unless telling them its time to vote. There are no campaign signs around my house only the American Flag flying from a 20 foot flag pole!

[Phoenix democrat]

Helloooo! This is a Republican district and anyone who thinks a Democrat with a Grivalja-like position on immigration can get elected (or stay elected) is smokin' crack! Gabby is doing exactly what she needs to do to preempt the obvious amnesty attack ads. She has run a masterful campaign so far, refusing to get pulled far to the left in the primary. Why would she move left now, especially on immigration? 80 percent of Arizonans support a tough immigration policy, starting with sanctions on the employers that hire illegally. Democrats can present an alternative strategy that will actually work, unlike the mass deportations and militarization of the border being promoted by Republicans.

[Anonymous]

As a Liberal who wants nothing more in life than for Democrats to win- I have to say this: I hate you people.