How to win friends and influence people. Do the opposite of Barbara Buono

[Pretzel_Warrior]

Yes, I get it that she is unhappy the Dems pretty much ceded a 30 point margin to Christie and decided it's better to get in good with the prohibitive favorite for governor than throw in with her campaign.....but jeezus. Is she pretty much telegraphing she's done with politics the way she's ranting against her own? Just doesn't seem like the smart thing to do.

[Rex]

1. Now that is funny coming from you.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

2. I'm not a professional politician

But come on....admit it. You're warming to me slowly!

[djean111]

3. I guess she could have also endorsed Christie - seems like the Dem thing to do.

Or praised all the Dems that endorsed him.
Sooo - if at some point DUers feel that a GOP candidate is probably going to win, should we go ahead and support him or her?

It is not so much that the Dems ceded the win - they fucking endorsed Christie. Is this the new Dem way to go?
This takes political expedience to a whole new and lower level. Almost game-changing, in a way.
I would not blame her for being done with politics - slimy business, that.

[NoOneMan]

13. That's really the only sensible thing to do

Frankly, she was being mean to run against him in the first place. Any reasonable Democrat knows this

[hatrack]

22. She's certainly not very Sensible(tm), now is she?

[leftstreet]

17. +1 It was rude of her to even run against him

Couldn't she see the Democrats preferred Christie?

[TheKentuckian]

4. If she had her "own", she wouldn't be ranting at all. Turns out she had no "own".

This isn't a game for everyone no matter how caught up in that some are.

[hrmjustin]

5. I don't blame her one bit.

[MannyGoldstein]

6. What will they do? Not endorse her next time?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

7. well, if she continues in state assembly...one would imagine

she could gain a lot from her name recognition and her "fighting the good fight" if she started focusing on building bridges rather lighting them aflame.

[djean111]

14. Yes, she should start endorsing Republicans right away, particularly Christie.

The Dems endorsing Christie are going to make spectacular campaign ammo if Christie runs for prez. "Even the Dems love me!!!!!"
Christie's campaign will have lovely blue links and quotes, etc.

[MattBaggins]

23. How about she endorse the republican challenger for every dem

that did so to her?

[Enrique]

8. Go get her!!!!!!!

activate the BOG!!!!

[TBF]

10. Where is his bus? nt

[Capt. Obvious]

46. Lulz!

[Vashta Nerada]

9. She has every right to be pissed off.

The Democratic leadership threw her under a bus and endorsed the bus driver for governor.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. She's right and she's not the only one who noticed what they did to her.

Many people will turn away from politics when it is corrupt and lacking in Party unity. The actions of the NJ Democratic Party make me feel as if we have no Party in NJ at all, thus we like the GOP are no longer actually national in nature. They did not bother to run against this homophobic anti choice conservative hypocrite. They can not be trusted by anyone.
Buono is right. Those who endorsed Christie should be thrown out of the Party.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

15. so because of this election alone? Despite all the Dems elected to state assembly?

we are no longer a national party? lolol. ok.

[Fumesucker]

18. How many Republicans endorsed Democrats?

[pscot]

20. cricketts

[99Forever]

12. By now...

...Barbara Buono isn't the only one who has had their fill of DINOs and spineless capitulators driving decent, actual Democrats from the party.

Despicable.

[Zorra]

16. Getting totally sold out by people you thought were Democrats can leave you feeling

betrayed, angry, and disillusioned.

I remember how I felt when the centrist Reagan Democrats voted Reagan into office. It was a truly awful feeling. So I am never surprised anymore when centrists betray real Democrats and support republicans or quasi-republicans.

[Fumesucker]

19. Gad! Those liberal ideologues are disgusting

[La Lioness Priyanka]

21. she's not wrong and she has nothing to lose at this point

[Pretzel_Warrior]

24. I don't know her plans for the future

If she wants to stay in politics, the practical thing is to take on the David vs. Goliath perception rather than the bitter person who can't get along.

[JackRiddler]

25. Maybe she values truth more than the hypocrisy

that you seem to think would make for better PR, as if this matters at all at this point.

Good for her.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

26. Politics is PR quite a lot of the time

[hobbit709]

30. Maybe that is part of the problem.

Many years ago I had a roommate going to law school. One day he brought home their little newspaper which had the results of a survey of the students.
Their #1 concern was their public image and their #20 concern was their ethics.
He got upset when I pointed out that if their #1 concern was their ethics, they wouldn't have to worry about their public image.

[JackRiddler]

43. That observation is so insightful and true

that I am stunned, simply stunned at your acuity. With what modern Aristotle, what reborn Machiavelli, what Voltaire of the Message Boards have we to do here? Something so simple, and yet groundbreaking: Politics is PR quite a lot of the time! Speechless, I say, and humbled! How did I fail to think of that? This little light of yours, you must let it shine, let it shine. For all of us. Now don't disappoint! Please don't stop at Volume I! Just keep writing until Vol. XI, and let us know when you're done. We'll all be waiting the 20 years. Okay?

[Chathamization]

31. Depends on who Goliath is going to be next time around

If she's aiming to take on establishment Dems, there's not a big problem with calling them out now. In fact, it might be a good segue for the next fight.

That being said, a lot of the talk about the NJ race seems to ignore the fact that Buono herself benefitted from the Democratic establishment deciding to abandon the race. She was able to pretty much waltz through the primary.

[Gravitycollapse]

27. As already said up thread. What could they do next time that is possibly worse than now?

Not endorse her a second time?

Get real. You can't alienate friends who were never your friends in the first place.

[JDPriestly]

28. The stupid thing to do is to claim to be a Democrat and endorse a Republican as mean

and nasty and as much of a bully as Chris Christie. Christie represents everything we Democrats oppose. How could anyone claim to be a Democrat and endorse Christie?

[Laelth]

29. What's the point of this hit piece on a liberal Democrat?

Seriously. It seems clear that the Democratic Party machine in NJ shut out Buono. Her loss had nothing to do with her behavior. You even posted an essay that proves this assertion to be true.

http://www.northjersey.com/columnists/Stile_Christies_strategy_of_wooing_key_Democrats_pays_off_big.html

I don't get it.

-Laelth

[sendero]

33. IMHO....

... it's simple politics. Christie knows how to dish out the favors (money/contracts/development projects) in return for allegiance. He handed out the goodies to the right state/local officials and they rewarded him with fealty.

Party has jack to do with it. And IMHO Christie is going to be a FORMIDABLE presidential candidate. In fact, I'd bet even odds he will be our next president. Read it and weep.

[Laelth]

34. I am not disagreeing with anything you wrote above.

My question, however, was addressed to the OP and remains unanswered.



-Laelth

[sendero]

36. Sorry, I ..

.... replied to the wrong post.

[Laelth]

40. No biggie.

To be sure, I appreciate your insight on this subject.



-Laelth

[BlueJazz]

48. I don't believe he has even a reasonable chance of winning the office.

Most elections (at that level) are usually won by a small margin...not always but usually.

His weight will automatically knock off 6-9 points.
I don't feel that way but a LOT of Americans do.....and I realize it's not fair.

[sendero]

49. We will see.

I think he has a very good chance based on several factors. He knows how to align people and he knows how to talk tough.

After 8 years of Democratic presidency with the economy still sucking wind people will flop to a moderate Republican. It's his to lose IMHO, especially if HRC is all we got.

[BlueJazz]

56. You could well be right. I would have (almost) bet anything that Bush would not have a 2nd term.

So my track record is not one to bet on.

[sendero]

57. You..

.... and me both on that one

I'm not claiming a crystal ball. To me it's just "momentum" politics, just like a momentum stock. It goes up mostly because it was already going up.

Christie could make some major eff-up or something untoward from his past could be uncovered. But as of today all I hear about on our side is Hillary and I think she is cold potatoes and has not much chance.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

53. I'm referring to "going forward"--not how it affected her in the past

[Laelth]

54. I appreciate your response.

I won't belabor this point, but I am glad you read what I had to say. Personally, I think that right now is the best time to hammer Democrats for not supporting their own ... especially our liberals.

-Laelth

[Laura PourMeADrink]

32. Wonder how many people thought she was Nancy Pelosi - she looks exactly like her. nt

[dembotoz]

35. sadly her experience not totally rare

i am a former county chair
in packerland

state party was get folks to run
get folks to run

the the sigs are in the the state party turns there back so fast is makes you head spin

i have particular disgust for 2008 ofa

[Iggo]

37. She's right.

Fuck those motherfuckers.

[stevenleser]

38. What happened here is very frustrating. This Christie worship is over the top.

This is a guy who needed to be stopped and he was stoppable.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

42. I disagree. No one could have beat him...IMHO

[FarCenter]

39. She's 60 and her husband makes about half a million a year.

She could retire.

You want to line up party support before you enter the race.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

41. i really don't care if you had Jesus come down and support her - there was NO ONE

who could have beat Christie. I know we should always try - but sometimes - it's just humanely impossible. I can't imagine running and working your heart out knowing full well you will lose.

[rurallib]

44. whether he could have been beaten or not -

and I disagree that he could not be beaten - is absolutely no reason to abandon your party's candidate and buddy up with the likes of such an a-hole.
Had the party given it a shot they may have won - but at least would have put a dent in his presidential campaign. Instead they go over and polish his armor.

The old political saying goes - when your enemy is drowning throw him an anchor - don't throw it to your own candidate

[Laura PourMeADrink]

47. Sorry, disagree. Sounds like to me that Christie's election - despite his failures and shitty ways

at times is a harbinger for the future. People are completely through with rhetoric. Our side or their side. And, obviously this includes Democrats - those who should have supported her more and those who voted for Christie. We would be smart to realize this now.

[rurallib]

50. Your post confuses me - are you saying if the polls

are greatly in favor of the Republican opponent we should just lay down and accept the inevitable? I hope not.
Sure seems to me that the change of some votes may have started a major move to Buono.
Christie has hardly been a friend to workers, or the poor or many other traditionally democratic voters.

Do we just abandon the South? Should I abandon my county where Republicans frequently win. Once we never won an election but now we are almost all Democratic thanks to a lot of work and never giving up.

What is the future you see? Is our rhetoric no longer applicable? Safety nets, government help, people pulling together?

Sorry, I am just confused.

[Capt. Obvious]

45. If anyone knows about this topic

It's you

[gopiscrap]

51. I agree with her, Democrats aren't perfect and some times

you need to stand up to your own party. She's bight enough, I am sure that if she gets out of politics, she'll land on her feet with out too much of a problem!

[JNelson6563]

52. I may misunderstand this situation.

Wasn't Christie already considered a powerhouse in his spot? Like he had a strong chance of winning no matter what? The kind of name that was famous and had much clout nationally would have possibly beaten him.

While there are some differences this whole thing reminds me of Carl Levin. This man has had a lock on his Senate seat from 1978. Every year the Republicans run but don't support (read "give money&quot some poor sod who invariably lost by a wide margin. Within days would be the articles that featured sacrificial lamb, I mean the losing candidate, bemoaning how he could've won if only his party had backed him.

Politics is a rough and often ugly business.

Julie

[Pretzel_Warrior]

55. Exactly! I don't have to like it to evaluate it as true

This kind of hopeless race goes on all of the time on both sides. This got way more play because Christie has been burnishing his national image for some time now and there were so few races to follow.

[NCTraveler]

58. I have witnessed how hard a loss can be on an induvidual...

in a campaign of this scale. It can be paralyzing. Sometimes we like to separate the person from the long and difficult ordeal they just went through. And a full on campaign is a long and difficult ordeal. You put yourself out there for everyone to see and a loss can be personally devastating. It becomes even more painful when those who should be supporting you don't.

This is a person you are talking about here. This is a person who went all in for a statewide election. This is a person who did not get the support she should have received. You obviously have no clue what the effects of a loss can have on an individual. The fact is, "democrats" such as yourself are still pushing the knife in further. Why don't you just let her rant and get off her fucking back. Your man got the nod. Be happy.

[Union Scribe]

59. Breaking: "moderate" dislikes liberal politician

Stay tuned for updates!