If Bennet is doing such a bad job...

Ugh!

They're such posers. The GOP couldn't have an original thought if their parents told them to.  

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by: Fong @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 08:50:43 AM UTC

"Any ideas? "

As a matter of fact, yes. The NRSC sent you a version of that email that was tailored to Colorado residents. People who live in other states received a version with a different senator's name in that spot.

This marketing tactic is used all the time, not just in political ads but in all sorts of other advertising.

When the Republicans run political ads on TV in Colorado, don't you notice that those ads are tailored toward Colorado issues and candidates? Why would you not expect them to do the same with email? It's certainly a lot easier to zone email than it is to shoot and edit multiple versions of a TV ad.


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"Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that." --- Britney Spears, September 2003

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by: Mucius Scaevola @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 18:37:25 PM UTC

That's a possibility

I'll try to get some friends of mine in other states to take a look at the page and see if they get the same thing!

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by: neonnurse @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 00:41:45 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

No from Virginia

A friend of mine has checked, and Bennet is in the same spot.

Also, when I look again at their home page, I see his image in right in the middle of the cluster of Dem targets. I have to say I have trouble imagining GOP web geeks who are good enough to have a different .jpg pop up depending on where someone is logging from. In my experience they aren't deeply web-savvy, as a breed. Although you never know, they could be starting to get a clue....

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by: neonnurse @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 01:18:26 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Are you saying

the email that went to Virginia has that same big arrow pointing to Bennet's name?  That seems really hard to believe.  

As far as targeting a Web user with geographically specialized content, yes that's done all the time. It's very easy to sort IP addresses that way for advertising purposes.

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"Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that." --- Britney Spears, September 2003

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by: Mucius Scaevola @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 03:48:23 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I see now

It looks like that arrow is something you added. I had thought that was part of the email. Pardon the misunderstanding.  

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"Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that." --- Britney Spears, September 2003

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by: Mucius Scaevola @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 06:06:06 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sorry, didn't mean to mislead anyone

The big arrow is something I added after I did the screen capture, because I thought it would be helpful for people to see the inclusion of Bennet's name right away when they looked at it.

I agree with you that it would be possible to have a different pic pop up. As I said, I just wouldn't expect it from Rs. Maybe I'm out of date, but I don't think they are all that cutting edge when it comes to internet stuff.

To clarify things still more, I'm the one who got an email. It DIDN'T say anything about Bennet.  I clicked through to their web page out of curiosity, partly because I had filled out the bracket the day before on the same one (CREDO) Fong linked to.

The brackets with Bennet at the top left set of choices are at the actual web site. I sent a friend in Virginia the link to the site, and she looked at it from her home and reported back that it looked the same as my screen cap (without the red arrow).

So that's one new data point saying this is a nation-wide targeting of Bennet. Who is not as disliked by them as Arlen Specter, by the way. :)

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by: neonnurse @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 06:06:07 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

(Wow, we posted 1 second apart.)

Thanks for clarifying

That makes more sense to me than how I was interpreting what you were saying.

I think the weirdest thing about that graphic is that they put Blanche Lincoln of all people in "The Rubber Stamp Bracket."

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"Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that." --- Britney Spears, September 2003

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by: Mucius Scaevola @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 06:12:05 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

When I was a kid...

...we used to say, "Pinch, poke, you owe me a Coke" if two people spoke at the same time saying the same thing.  There should be an internet version of that!

What I thought was weird was that they couldn't find enough other names to fill the whole bracket and not give ANYONE a bye.  Did they get too filled with gloom and despair to continue after a while, or what?

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by: neonnurse @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 06:22:14 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes,

you're right, giving some of them a bye was indeed even weirder than putting Lincoln in the Rubber Stamp bracket. Especially Harry Reid getting a bye.

I like it: "Pinch, poke, you owe me a Coke" -- maybe the Internet version would be ppyomac.


------------------------------
"Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that." --- Britney Spears, September 2003

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by: Mucius Scaevola @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 06:43:03 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

PS, neonnurse

Thanks for being such a pleasant and reasonable person to have a conversation with. :-)

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"Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that." --- Britney Spears, September 2003

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by: Mucius Scaevola @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 06:14:49 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

You're welcome!

Maybe it's because I'm a grandma, but I like it when people are pleasant and reasonable if it's at all possible. Of course sometimes it's theoretically possible and we go for the digital smack upside the head anyway -- I'm as guilty of that as anyone. But on the whole I find it's much easier to start out nice and get hardcore if all else fails, than to do it the other way around. :)

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by: neonnurse @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 06:28:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Because he's vulnerable

They include people like Bennet because they know they can beat him.  Then, if they do, they put out another fundraising letter talking about how their funds went to defeat democrats that their donors helped target.  Simple fundraising psychology.

Why is he vulnerable?  Because he's a weak candidate.  All the polls show that his unfavorable rate increases, he favorable lowers or stays the same, and head to heads show he loses to the republicans.


Sorry Michael Bennet, but I'm a real person too

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by: StrykerK2 @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 01:56:12 AM UTC

Right, Stryker.

I guess you haven't noticed all the Romanoff defectors coming over to the Bennet side.
Who has pragmatic solutions to the problems Americans face? Bennet.
Who has more cash to fight Jane Norton? Bennet.
Who has a stronger record, with more consistent values? Bennet.
Who has the support of Barack Obama and the entire Colorado Congressional delegation (with the exception of DeGette who hasn't endorsed anyone yet)?  Bennet.
Who is gaining supporters at a faster rate?  Bennet.

But you go on believing that the Republicans are afraid of Andrew Romanoff. Really. David Sirota can keep you company over there.

My opinions here do not reflect any organization or group with which I may be affiliated.  

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by: peacemonger @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 02:36:24 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

actually no

I haven't seen Romanoff supporters defecting to Bennet.  I've seen a few like you who claimed to support Andrew at first, but those of us who know you know better.

Bennet has pragmatic solutions to problems Americans face?  Well I guess if someone loses their job and they are going to be foreclosed on then just letting the bank kick them out is a simple solution.  Cheers to Bennet on screwing over hardworking people down on their luck.

"Stronger record?" come on -- stop drinking the kool-aid.  He refuses to take a stance on EFCA and he votes with big banks.  On your second point, I'll concede -- he was consistently against democratic values until Andrew jumped in the race.  Now he's consistently for whatever Andrew said 3 days earlier.

What's the whole "gaining support at a faster race" I keep hearing bennet supporters pushing?  Do the polls that show his high disapproval ratings not make you stop and think that the more he gets around the state the less people like him?

Yes -- he's vulnerable.  He's a far weaker candidate in the general.

Sorry Michael Bennet, but I'm a real person too

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by: StrykerK2 @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 05:21:53 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Stryker

Your Romanoff talking points are completely transparent.  "He was consistently against democratic values until Andrew jumped in the race?" Come on. Grow up. Even you don't believe that.  You must have forgotten there is a pesky little thing called the "public record".  Pick a topic, any topic (pull-down menu, halfway down)

As for knowing me and knowing better -- if you really do know me, you know that I have always said good things about Andrew Romanoff until the past two days, when I became incredibly disgusted by his immature grandstanding and opportunistic recent behaviors. Those who really do know me know that he used to be one of the people I admire.

The more he sends attack dogs out on the blogs to do his dirty work, personally attacking a great Colorado Senator and the people who have been working hard on issues that Americans care about, the less I respect him.

Andrew used to be a good man. This primary challenge has turned him into something most of is former supporters do not recognize. I hope he comes to his senses before his positive reputation is gone forever.

As for EFCA, I have never heard Andrew Romanoff utter the words, "I would vote for EFCA".  If he did, post the video right here.  I do know that Michael Bennet voted to confirm Craig Becker, which is a strong indication of his stand with labor.  Bennet Sticks With Labor, Politico

My opinions here do not reflect any organization or group with which I may be affiliated.  

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by: peacemonger @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 08:23:39 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Polls

If I'm not remembering totally wrong here, there have been some polls where Bennet came off looking weak, and others where he came out on top.  

I could be off on that, but I'm much more certain about taking polls with a grain of salt in general.  Look at the current health care reform debate. No matter what side you are on or which versions of change you support, you can find a poll somewhere that says YOUR idea is the one the public likes best.

That's why what a poll says is not at the top of my list of factors that inform my decisions.

The closer a race is, the less predictive help polls are (in my experience). At this point I don't think ANYONE can confidently predict who will win the primary.

I DO think the GOP would be tickled to see Bennet knocked off the ticket. Why would they like that if he's the one who's the weakest and easiest for their candidate to defeat?

Is it possible they think Romanoff is (without intending to) doing the heavy lifting here for them?

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by: neonnurse @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 02:55:03 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Andrew came out better on every poll

There was one poll that shows Bennet within the margin of error against Norton, but every single poll has showed Andrew in a significantly better position for the general election.

You're right that the primary is very much up for grabs still.  The caucus was the first indicator, but we have a lot of months ahead and time for both candidates to broaden their bases of support.


Sorry Michael Bennet, but I'm a real person too

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by: StrykerK2 @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 05:25:31 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I went looking...

...because I really did think I had seen one where Bennet did best, and I found it.

http://www.coloradopols.com/di...

HOWEVER, I have to agree with the person who wrote that post, that polls are pretty much meaningless at this point in time. It's like quoting Scripture or something; what it means to one true believer is likely to be completely opposite of what it means to someone of another faith.

I guess we are just doomed to live in interesting times until the primary and/or the election.

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by: neonnurse @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 06:15:46 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

true

I'm assuming you linked to the pols article with Bennet leading in the primary? (I'm currently not logging into COPols -- they are having some sort of security/virus issue they are trying to clear up).  Andrew does have work to do to reach out to primary voters (as does Bennet of course).  I would be curious to see that same poll now that we are post caucus to see if his win did anything to move him up.

All of the polls showing general election match ups show Romanoff as stronger than Bennet.

Polls aren't perfect sure -- I was skeptical when there was just one or two of them; there are quite a few now so there is something to be said for consistency.

Sorry Michael Bennet, but I'm a real person too

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by: StrykerK2 @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 06:29:14 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, I think that's the same one

I hadn't heard that about Pols and a virus. I did notice it seemed to be loading oddly for me...but that could also be our crappy ISP, since there is a drop or two of moisture out there for the signal to contend with.

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by: neonnurse @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 06:38:28 AM UTC

[ Parent ]