This week I wanted to get a pulse from our readers and bloggers about what they are seeing around town as the election gets closer. I know that Chavez seems to be bridging the gap—but how? Is it based on the money that is being pumped into her campaign by labor and the Democratic Party, or is she starting to connect with the Pandori and Mulcahy voters? Are people who didn’t vote in the primary coming out of the woodwork to voice their opinions? As the election gets closer, we will begin to see the power of the television ad, and how little people really read about the candidates.
We know that Reed’s mail pieces are directed at making that connection between Chavez and Gonzales. The mail piece showing the two of them holding up a large die on the Monopoly art piece in front of the Children’s Discovery Museum (alluding to gambling with our money) is a classic—a humorous visual of the relationship that Chavez now wants to denounce. (And I can’t believe there weren’t at least two slipped disks as a result.)
I am almost fearful for Chuck Reed because I am waiting to see the onslaught of dirt and slime that is thrown his way by the Chavez campaign. Here’s betting we will hear the word “reimbursement” about 500 times a minute from her ads. I am just wondering if Reed will be able to stay above the belt and not reduce himself to that level. I believe in his “I am a good and honorable man” message, but sometimes I don’t think that always gets through to the average voter. People are always apt to believe the dirt, paying more attention to the lowball attacks than to the good messages.
Also, absentee ballots are being filled out as we speak, and Chuck seemed to have a hold on the immobile, shut-in, “blue hair” contingent in the primary, so we will see if that rings true this time around. Let’s hope they all vote as vehemently as they did the last time.
Tell me what you have heard or seen, and here’s to a wild few weeks ahead!
I’VE TAKEN A POLL AND THE “BLUE HAIRED PEOPLE ” ARE 100% BEHIND HIM. YES, WE DO RESENT THE BLUE HAIRED MONIKER.
How can Cindy connect with the Pandori and Mulcahy supporters when both former candidates have endorsed Reed?
I run with a pretty liberal crowd. I haven’t heard anyone say they’ve changed their minds recently. Most of us feel very strongly that Cindy is not the right person to change the culture of this council and will be voting for Chuck. Some of my friends are voting for Cindy because they consider Chuck too conservative, and I understand that. But the recent slime thrown Chuck’s way hasn’t changed anyone’s minds, although the Chavez supporters I know are disappointed with her behavior.
I find the pro-Chavez TV spots to be annoying and lacking any substance. They just harp on the same tired issue that has already been resolved re: reimbursements and tax returns and they are extremely amatuer productions. I’ve also noticed the volume goes way up when these ads are run, and they grate on me even more.
Considering that the Chavez campaign is better financed and is going for the lowest common denominator, I’ve decided that it’s in my best interest as a citizen and taxpayer to vote for Chuck. If Chavez wins this town is going to sink lower than it already has over the past eight years.
Dear Single Gal:
“…immobile, shut-in, “blue hair” contingent?” I’m not sure that’s politically correct!
There were a couple of tough weeks for the Reed campaign, but I think that the momentum has returned for Reed. The Indian Casino money was a gift from heaven, and the Mercury News finally weighed in on the false claim that Reed had not released his taxes. More importantly, Reed had a great performance at the debate held at Gunderson High last week.
I’m not making any predictions, but I do think that things are looking good for Reed. I really think that one of the biggest factors in this race is something that few people talk about, and that is the local machine’s inability to force Gonzales to resign. Had Gonzales been pushed out, there would have been a clean slate, and an opportunity for the Chavez Campaign to completely distance itself from the corruption and the inept decision-making. For some ( perhaps many) voting for Reed is a way to express their disdain for Gonzales. Unfortunately for her, Ms. Chavez is caught in the middle of it.
Reed Volunteer,
Pete Campbell
What became of the gamblng money, since it was never given back. I read it was sent on to the State Party to redistribute. Who wants to make a bet that $55,000 comes back to Santa Clara County Dems by way of several other county committees.
Also what ever happened to Tom question last week…who asked for the money? Does anyone really believe 2 tribes in different cities decided to write check to SCC Dems without anyone asking for it?
As a Reed supporter I’m a little disappointed with his campaign. In my neighborhood I see Chavez signs going up all over but no Reed signs. I have e-mailed his campaign headquarters asking for a lawn sign but haven’t been contacted by anyone so far. I would like to see more volunteers calling on my neighbors. I’m also concerned that the Chamber of Commerce has yet to endorse anyone. After the primary I assumed that they would come out strong for Reed especially since their candidate his endorsing Reed. I’m also waiting for Cortese to endorse Reed but to date that hasn’t happened. I can’t believe that Dave would endorse anyone but Reed. Let’s hope that people in this town get smart and vote for someone that will try to change the way this city is being ran.
With only weeks before the election, San Jose residents have been poorly served by the Mercury News and its coverage of the candidates’ positions on important issues.
For example, what are the candidates plans for BART and Coyote Valley? The article last Sunday in the Merc was superficial at best.
I did notice that groups like the Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee ask very detailed questions in their endorsement questionnaires. Unfortunately I could not find the candidates’ answers on the central commitee’s web site.
Why can’t the rank and file Democrats in this valley easily view the candidates’ responses to the central committee’s questionnaire?
Are the party bosses unwilling to disclose this information?
We should ask the candidates at the next forum to commit to releasing their answers to these questionnaires on their websites. If the candidates are proud of their answers, there is no reason to keep this information secret.
#7 Pete: Speaking of Gonzales did anyone happen to catch his interview on KGO last week?
While HizzRonner didn’t formally endorse Chavez he spoke of her candidacy in a very positive way while speaking dismissively of “Mr. Integrity” Chuck Reed.
I’ll bet there were some teeth gnashing at Chavez headquarters!
Regarding SG’s observations: Chavez had a couple of good weeks following the reimbursement news, but she overplayed her hand with the unfounded claim that Reed is a tax cheat.
When the news came out that Reed’s taxes were A-OK the negative campaign blew up in Chavez’s face and she probably lost whatever gains were made, and then some. Voters already distrustful of Chavez’s ethics got confirmation of those suspicions.
I would not be surprised if a legitimate poll taken today showed Reed with a 10-15 point lead.
I also think SG is right that over the next few weeks we will witness some of the dirtiest campaign tactics San Jose has ever seen. We’ve already seen the direction the Chavez campaign is willing to go.
All Reed needs to do is keep his head above the fray. People know dirty politics when they see it, and Cindy has already shot herself in the foot in that duel.
What I’ve seen:
Oh, I’ve been to Niece and the Isle of Greece while I’ve sipped champagne on a yacht
I’ve moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo and showed ‘em what I’ve got
I’ve been undressed by kings and I’ve seen some things that a woman ain’t supposed to see
I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me…
Steve, re: #10 I stopped reading that Merc article when I could see it was going to be so many paragraphs of blather that had no substance. I was hoping to see some results of pointed questions on candidates’ views or positions. What’s a newspaper for anyway? I don’t have a parakeet.
Maybe we need the same kind of FCC requirements for newspapers that TV stations need to comply with for public service to viewers in their markets. Alas, I guess those have no teeth, seeing as how not one TV station I know of has ever been taken to task on this issue by the FCC.
Gosh, all this Cindy bashing and not a Reality Check or Rich Robinson in sight.
# 8.
Speaking of tribal gambling campaign money and mayoral political donations in general, can anyone provide links to lists of the donations to the two mayoral candidates? It could be interesting to review.
On the state assembly candidate level, I received a good link. If for example you look at Joe Coto, one of the SCC candidates for state assembly, you see he received significant non-SCC tribal money. That information is good to know. He also got money, I think, from a large cigarette company. Strange……..
http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20065&c=417879
Anyone have good links on the mayoral contributions?
14 – That’s because they are too busy plugging the holes in their badly leaking campaign.
The S.S. Minnow has a better chance of survival than the S.S. Chavez.
I hope everyone doesn’t think the “mud – slinging” will decrease. Remember -” VICE MAYOR” Cindy CHAVEZ is the protege of “MAYOR” Ron GONZALES, so she’s learned dirty politics from a good instructor. Watch also to see if Cindy—through her cronies on the City Council, try to repeat the type of actions they took against Dave Cortese during the primaries to kill votes for him.
All this from a VICE MAYOR who voted YES on the garbage deal and who also claimed not to know anything about the 4 MILLION needed for the races in the city, when all along she was at the meetings when this was discussed with the Mayor—(SELECTIVE AMNESIA). Is this a person the city can trust? I guess if you want corruption and backroom deals to continue, then she’s the one.
Concerned Citizen
#9 Reed Fan
You said….“I’m also concerned that the Chamber of Commerce has yet to endorse anyone. After the primary I assumed that they would come out strong for Reed especially since their candidate his endorsing Reed. “
Probably a good thing the Chamber is holding back. If the Chamber were to come out publically for Reed, the Dem machine would use it to paint Reed an Anti-Labor Republican.
Smart move on the Chamber’s part.
Seems like the Democratic Money Machine is deeply involved in Cindy’s run for Mayor.
It was involved in Susan Hammer’s run for office, but more in the background it seemed. Susan I think had more control over the tone and content of her campaign; and ran a pretty clean and issue based race.
Richard. . . were you here then, and could you shed some light on this? Thanks.
“Q” When did the DNC or arm of same first get involved in SJ Mayoral races?
“Q” When it really take hold and make a difference?
“Q” What is their rationale for pouring so much money and effort into these local level races?
A new poll out tonight by CBS 5 gives Reed a 13 point lead over Chavez. Only 7% undecided.
The poll was taken Oct. 14-16.
http://cbs5.com/topstories/local_story_290150806.html
Single Gal, I too had to laugh at the hit piece with Ron-Gon and Cindy on the cover. Turnabout is fair play as Cindy got the jump on playing dirty. If Cindy does happen to win the election, San Jose is in for four more years of Ron-Gon behavior I fear.
Cindy said…
“He needs to run against me and my record.”
In the closing weeks and days, she may regret having said this.
SG,
10/17/06 I saw a commercial on the discovery channel Bashing Reed for the $38,000 reimbusrment from the city. It goes on to ask Reed to practice what he preaches whith regards to open and ethical government.
It appears the reimbursment issue was the closest the Cindy camp could come to smearing Reed and decided to hammer the issue at the public, hoping the public hasn’t discovered Reed reimbursed the city.
There’s also a mailer we received yesterday. It describes Cindy as the candidate of the working people. It cites about 6 imtems that cindy supported and Reed opposed. It’s designed like a flow chart, or a baseball scorecard, Cindy on top, Reed on the bottom. Under each item a “Novice type happy face” is placed under Cindy’s boxes and a sad face under Reed’s.
Although Reed had good reasons to oppose the items cited, due to insuficient information provided by city staff or council members, the Cindy camp made sure that portion was left out.
DUAH…
I can never get excited by a lawn sign count—it mostly tells people how many close friends you have, but bears no necessary relationship to the number of strangers who may vote for you.
Poll reliability depends greatly upon who drafts the questions and takes the poll.
Does anyone know of a reliable way to track the laundered money that gets transferred from one candidate/initiative to the next? Like the Indian gaming money that Mr. Preminger would have us believe arrived un solicited, like manna from heaven. At first he claimed it was returned to the donors, but later admitted it went to another campaign, where it was undoubtedly washed at least one more time, so that the ultimate recipient has plausible deniability that he/she received Indiam Gaming money. That’s a HUGE loophole that needs to be plugged in campaign finance laws, and since it is so deceptive, it would clearly pass constitutional muster.
Remember Cruz Bustamante a couple of years back? He was unabashed about it; but not so this years crop of candidates.
JMC,
Another area of campaign finance I would like to see explored is how the Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee can make large non-monetary contributions to the Chavez campaign.
If you look at their current report [1] all the money spent on Chavez is marked as a non-monetary contribution. If you look at a previous report, similiar contributions to Chavez and others is marked as in independent expenditure [2]
My understanding is any contributions made outside the candidate’s committee could only be spent as an independent expenditure.
Can any campaign finance experts clear up my confusion?
[1] http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/Misc/pdf.aspx?filingid=1204602&amendid=1
[2] http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/Misc/pdf.aspx?filingid=1172139&amendid=1
East side mom #15,
The contribution reports for mayor can be found at
http://www.netfile.com/agency/csj/
For this election the more interesting reports are the independent expeditures by committees that can raise an unlimited amount of money (such as from Indian casinos). These reports can be found at the Secretary of State website at http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/
You will need to know the committee name such as the “SANTA CLARA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE UNITED DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN” to view the reports.